Niacin question...

[lem968]

Up to what age do I need to add a niacin supplement to my ducklings' food? I've been using brewers yeast (they are almost 3 weeks old now & all doing fine). But I can't find any solid answer on how long to continue adding it to their food...

 

[furbabymum]

Are you feeding them duck food??

First I've heard of this so I'm subbing for answers.

 

[Amiga]

Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends that if signs of niacin deficiency are present, that the niacin should be given for ten weeks, if I recall correctly.

I think it may be difficult to find a more specific guideline because ducklings do not all react the same way with low niacin. For some reason or reasons, some ducklings seem fine, yet others with the same feed begin to have seizures or leg problems.

I would supplement, if I thought the feed may not have enough, or if any of my ducklings seemed to have any problems that could be niacin-deficiency related, until they were 12 weeks old, give or take. And I would continue to give poultry vitamins after that.

 

[lem968]

Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends that if signs of niacin deficiency are present, that the niacin should be given for ten weeks, if I recall correctly.

I think it may be difficult to find a more specific guideline because ducklings do not all react the same way with low niacin. For some reason or reasons, some ducklings seem fine, yet others with the same feed begin to have seizures or leg problems.

I would supplement, if I thought the feed may not have enough, or if any of my ducklings seemed to have any problems that could be niacin-deficiency related, until they were 12 weeks old, give or take. And I would continue to give poultry vitamins after that.

Thanks so much!!!

I had read things varying from 4 weeks to 12 weeks and I just thought that was such a broad window. Maybe you're correct in thinking that it's because different ducks respond diferently. I'm a first time duck owner so I just wanted to be sure I was doing whatever possible to keep my little ones healthy.

They are almost 3 weeks old now & have been eating chicken/duck starter food. As I mentioned before, I've been adding brewers yeast to their food & none of them seem to be having any problems at all. I just want to keep it that way! Thanks again!

 

[LydiaB]

How much do you add? I use chicken food, and I don't know the dosage for nutritional yeast. I just sprinkle it on top.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How much do you add? I use chicken food, and I don't know the dosage for nutritional yeast. I just sprinkle it on top.

http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html also Is nutritional yeast the same as Brewers yeast, because Brewers yeast is what is recommended to use, I just sprinkled 1 tea. on top of their feed daily. but I was only treating 1 duckling if you have more than one then you'll have to add more B yeast I would think.

 

[lem968]

How much do you add? I use chicken food, and I don't know the dosage for nutritional yeast. I just sprinkle it on top.

I usually just sprinkle about 2 tablespoons on top of 2 cups of food & then mix it in. I read somewhere that you can't give them too much, so that's just an amount that I came up with on my own. I have 6 ducklings & they go through about 4 cups of food a day right now (at 3 week old). I use Brewers yeast because I was having a hard time finding anything else.

 

[CalBells]

According to Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks: "5 to 7.5lbs (2-3 kg) of livestock grade brewer's yeast per 100 lbs (37 kg) of chicken feed or 2 to 3 cups of brewers yeast per 10 lbs (3.5 kg) of feed..." For 3 ducks we mix small batches of 1lb 4oz of feed with 1/4cup brewers yeast from the health food store. Nutritional yeast and brewers yeast are different things. They may have similar niacin percentages, but I'm not sure.
Hope that helps...

 

[ParistoCapeCod]

Nutritional yeast flakes, which I use, apparently have 56 mg niacin in 2tsp whereas Brewer's yeast has 10 mg per 2tsp www.livestrong.com. Nutritional yeast is in bulk and refrigerated at my health food store, fairly cheap. My ducks are very healthy and strong, laying every day!