Pigeon toed duckling

[sgipson3913]

So I'm brand new to this website and to having chicks and ducklings. I have 2 ducklings, about 5 weeks old. The get fed scratch and peck feed ( safe for both chicks and ducks) with sprinkled in grit. I just started introducing them to spinach, corn, peas, raspberries, and meal worms. They have loved all of them. My one duckling has just recently started walking pigeon toed and not standing up all they way. I was recommended poly vitamins w/out iron (with niacin added), and vitamin e capsules 3 times per day. Does anyone else recommend anything???

Thanks!

 

[Kevin565]

What is in the "peck feed"? It sounds like the duckling could be having absorbing nutrients. I would suggest adding niacin supplements in addition to the poly vitamins.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So I'm brand new to this website and to having chicks and ducklings. I have 2 ducklings, about 5 weeks old. The get fed scratch and peck feed ( safe for both chicks and ducks) with sprinkled in grit. I just started introducing them to spinach, corn, peas, raspberries, and meal worms. They have loved all of them. My one duckling has just recently started walking pigeon toed and not standing up all they way. I was recommended poly vitamins w/out iron (with niacin added), and vitamin e capsules 3 times per day. Does anyone else recommend anything???

Thanks!

For one thing scratch feed is not a balanced diet for ducks/or ducklings they need a complete feed either duck feed or all flock or chicken feed but just feeding scratch is going to cause a nutritional deficiency which you are now seeing. Spinach is not recommended for ducks either can't remember what's in it that isn't good though. Brewers yeast sprinkled over top of feed will help with niacin dif. or buying niacin caps or tabs and dissolving into their water will help. just make sure to get "Plain" Niacin not time released or flush free. Those other treats are fine for them but they need the balanced diet of feed first and for most.

If you'll make sure to give your ducklings the right feed and give them niacin in either form[brewers yeast or pill form] you should notice marked improvement in less than a week.

 

[sgipson3913]

The brand of their food is scratch and peck feed its a north west brand? But I will definitely add straight niacin to their water as well. Is niacin okay for chickens??

 

[Miss Lydia]

The brand of their food is scratch and peck feed its a north west brand? But I will definitely add straight niacin to their water as well. Is niacin okay for chickens??

I googled it and it looks like great feed, but chicken feed doesn't have the adequate amount of niacin in it for ducklings, and some ducklings just need more than others too. You'll need to give your ducklings the niacin supplement till at least 10-12 weeks old. 150 megs to 1 gallon of water. Not sure the extra niacin will harm chicks I'll have to look it up though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I googled it and it looks like great feed, but chicken feed doesn't have the adequate amount of niacin in it for ducklings, and some ducklings just need more than others too. You'll need to give your ducklings the niacin supplement till at least 10-12 weeks old. 150 megs to 1 gallon of water. Not sure the extra niacin will harm chicks I'll have to look it up though.

I can't find anything that says if giving chickens niacin it will harm them, I use Brewers yeast in my fermented feed for all my flock Chickens ducks and geese and haven't seen any problems from using it. If you can't find Brewers yeast then you may want to keep ducklings and chicks separate while treating your ducklings.

 

[sgipson3913]

Thanks so much! I will look for them tonight!