Pekin Duckling Laying down MOST of the time and army crawls... Normal or Not??

[Orca5094]

Just keep an eye on them and see what they do. Ducklings can be pretty mean to newbies, but sometimes they mesh right in so you just have to play it by ear. You can try sneaking the new one in when you move all of the birds from one place to another (maybe when you clean their brooder?). So it won't be so obvious to all the other birds that there's a new one in their midst that they can all gang up on.

Oh, and if that doesn't work and the new one does get picked on, try separating them for awhile so they can all still see each other but also get used to each others presence at the same time.

 

[MamaBearsFlock]

Will do. Thank you so much for your help and advice! I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay, I'll make sure I get the right Niacin and post pictures of the whole flock. I just got them all on St. Patrick's Day (from two different hatcheries) will they still be so territorial at that age and such a short time together? I can definately separate them if needed.

Chicks even tiny ones can really peck and hurt lil ducklings chicks have sharp beaks.You'll just have to watch closely. Look forward to hearing how it goes.

and Silkies with vaulted skulls an be injured to if a chick pecks them on the head I don't know if your are aware of that too. No skull under that flap of skin but brain matter.

 

[MamaBearsFlock]

Okay, I went to the hatchery and now have a little friend for Bernese and two Silkies (our flock is now one dozen instead of only 5... Chicken math, right? Lol!). I took Orca5094's advice and kind of confused everyone by separating them up in boxes (3 in each box) while I cleaned their brooding box (which is actually a kiddie pool) and changed up their area a bit. Then I put them back in their area one chick or duckling from each box at a time. It worked like a charm!!! No fighting, pecking, or pushing at all... only great fun had by all because they loved what I did to the place. Haha!
About the Niacin/brewers yeast: the hatchery was out of both and I had no idea where to get either, so I googled what it was for and headed to the winery down the road. I bought a tiny packet of "Muntons Active Brewing Yeast". I am Not sure if that is the same thing or not but I tried to look up the differences and couldn't come up with anything. Yes or no? I can go to the freed center tomorrow morning for niacin or the right kind of brewers yeast.

 

[Amiga]

I would say no - my understanding is that brewer's yeast is not active - it's spent. So, no active yeast.

And based on what I have seen, feed stores have not caught on to the B vitamin situation with ducklings. I get the ducks' vitamin supplements (except for poultry vitamins) at the drugstore or health food store.

 

[MamaBearsFlock]

It says on the package to "dissolve the yeast in 1 third cup of cooled boiled water leave 15 minutes without stirring then mix well to suspend all yeast add immediately to brew". Is that considered a spent brew then? Man this is confusing... haha! I think I'll go to the health food store and not take any chances. Thank you so much!

 

[Amiga]

No. What you have is active - it will expand and give off a bunch of CO2, and not what you want. Nope. Nope. Don't use that stuff!

Glad you asked!!!!!

Health food store - that is where I get most of the ducks' extras.

 

[Amykins]

To be honest, I just use crushed up B-complex vitamins - simple and direct! I crush one pill per gallon of water. But no matter the source, this little guy needs niacin ASAP!

 

[Amiga]

If you have B-Complex vitamins, check the B3 - niacin - in the vitamin, and crush it up, and use the amount of niacin in the pill to guide you on how much water to add.

For instance, if each pill had 50 mg of niacin, you add one pill to a half gallon of water. if it has 100 mg niacin, add a gallon. 150 mg niacin in the pill, add one and a half gallons, and so on.

 

[MamaBearsFlock]

Excellent! I cannot thank everyone enough!! Tomorrow morning they will be getting what they need.