One of my ducks acting odd, worried.

[anewman0623]

I have two beautiful Welsh Harlequin ducklings, Daisy and Alice, both 6 weeks old. The smaller one, Daisy, has been acting weird lately. As she is very young, she is still quite skittish and it usually takes quite some time to chase her around and get her where she needs to be. This past day, she was not very alert and when I went to pick her up, she didn't move at all. She brought her neck down and and kind of just hunkered down. Additionally, both of the ducks poop has been rather runny, not solid at all. I hadn't been replacing their hay as often as I should have been, which I realize could be a source of the problems. One thin possibly worth noting is that two days ago Daisy had a little down feather through her nostrils. I picked it out, but I couldn't get all of it out. It could be a fungal issue too, but I am a new duck owner and I don't entirely know what the signs are. If someone experienced could respond with a possible source and/or solution ASAP my girls and I would be very grateful.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Hello. . sorry your duck is not feeling well. What kind of feed are they eating? Also they need to have deep enough water that they can dip their beaks in and clear their nostrils.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

@Ravynscroft

 

[anewman0623]

Hello. . sorry your duck is not feeling well. What kind of feed are they eating? Also they need to have deep enough water that they can dip their beaks in and clear their nostrils.

They are eating an organic grower feed by Scratch and Peck. Their water is about deep enough to dip their nostrils but I need to upgrade my water bowl before they outgrow it.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Could be a niacin deficiency. Do you know if your feed has niacin? Some do but still may not be enough. You can add brewers yeast to the food to give more niacin.

 

[anewman0623]

Could be a niacin deficiency. Do you know if your feed has niacin? Some do but still may not be enough. You can add brewers yeast to the food to give more niacin.

I will double check if their food has enough niacin. If not we have plenty of yeast.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I will double check if their food has enough niacin. If not we have plenty of yeast.

Just make sure it's not baking yeast... brewers yeast or nutritional yeast only...

 

[anewman0623]

I will double check if their food has enough niacin. If not we have plenty of yeast.

Their food has two kinds of yeast and added niacin

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Purina flock raiser is what I hear most often recommended for ducks if you want to try a different feed. You can buy little packets of vitamins and or electrolytes to put in their water also that could help.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Their food has two kinds of yeast and added niacin

Hum. Would think that would be ok then. Did the hay get moldy or anything? I don't like hay for that reason personally. Plus it makes me itch lol