Niacin question

[AndrewP07]

Hello, so we got 7 ducklings this spring, and we fed them duckling starter food with niacin, and for the ost few months now, they have just been getting chicken feed. I’m wondering how to supplement the food with niacin. Also, I haven’t been feeding them many treats, so what are some good treats for them?

 

[nuthatched]

Duck food wood be best, but you can add niacin by mixing nutritional yeast into their food.
What treats are you giving? Thawed frozen peas are good, but don't over do it.

 

[AndrewP07]

I don’t really give them treats ever. And I would rather feed them chicken feed because we buy it by the ton

 

[ruthhope]

I don’t really give them treats ever. And I would rather feed them chicken feed because we buy it by the ton

Ducks need way more niacin than chicken feed provides. so you must sprinkle a tablespoon of brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast per cup of pellets/crumbles ontop of their feed. Nutritional yeast has more niacin availability but brewer's yeast if bought in bulk can be a lot cheaper.
You have to do the sprinkling in the food bowl, not in the sack to ensure the ducks get the yeast and it doesn;t just sink to the bottom. Misting the top of the crumbles allows the brewers yeast to adhere better to the pellets

You may find that laying ducks need even more niacin than this and you would would have to switch to nutritional yeast. I use brewer's yeast bought on line from Josh's frogs, for my son's laying pekins that are on organic layer feed. So far we have been okay with brewer's yeast. GThe ducks love it!

Whichever you buy, be sure to check the niacin content on the label or inquire from the manufacturer, as some nutritional yeast brands do not have niacin and some brewer's yeast brands can have very little.