Shaking leg on duckling

[jbarnes05]

I was reading that my duckling may have a shaky leg because of a nicain deficiency l. I give them those packets from the feed stores that are of electrolytes. Is that nicain? They are on basic non medicated starter feed and almost 3 weeks old. They have access to water and food 24/7 and I clean the brooder twice a day. This is my first time raising ducks and I already lost one.. I'd hate to lose another.

 

[gal5150]

No, the packets you are giving them are not generally enough niacin. If it's the little packets of chick starter it has some in it but not enough for ducks. You can buy Brewer's Yeast from GNC and most health food shops. A tablespoon sprinkled over their feed daily does the trick.

 

[jbarnes05]

I went and got the niacin from Safeway in pill form. How much do I put in the water they are 500 mg a pill (all they had)

 

[gal5150]

Ok, pill form has to be very specific. It's 100mg/1 gal water but MUST BE regular niacin. It CANNOT be "flush free" or "noflush" (inositol hexanicotinate).

 

[jbarnes05]

Yes I have flush free! I've heard about mixing nutritional yeast in the food as well? What's the ratios on that..? I can't lose another one ):

 

[gal5150]

If you're going to do the niacin in the water I, myself, would not do Brewer's Yeast on the food. I prefer the Brewer's Yeast because it's easy to see that they're clearing a food bin but with water there's a lot of waste. Also, the niacin is water solulable so water needs to be refreshed twice daily. The ratio of the Brewer's Yeast is 5% to the feed. 1 Tbs on top of the feed (which, for my girls, is about 3 cups for 2 ducks) is what I do.