Small Rouen?

[Samt03]

My husband got me 9 Rouen the second week of June from Cackle (along with 9 Pekin.) Everyone was fine and healthy when we got them, but we lost power for 4 days in a storm and during that lost two Pekin, and one of my Rouen caught a cold. We got her better and she seemed fine like everyone else. A few weeks later though we noticed she wasn't growing as fast as the others but at the time didn't think much of it at the time, but I've been getting slowly worried. I've been watching her to make sure she's getting food and everything so I have no idea what's wrong with her. She's half the size of her brothers and sisters, just started getting a few feathers, and still peeps, but she did let out a quack when I picked her up. She acts like everyone else, like nothing is wrong with her, but I'm just worried with how tiny she is. Will she catch up to the others or will she always be small?


Pick of her next to her sister (ignore the messy pool and run, it's time for them to be cleaned):

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

2 possibilities -
She's a mallard
OR
shess a runt
In my experience, runts die. No way to save them. They just die. They eat, they drink, they act like a duck then just die.
If she's a mallard, she could just be slower growing because perhaps rouens grow faster (don't know, think they do though).
Sorry for your duckling if she's a runt. I've asked before no one knows why and how to save a runt duck. They die for no reason it seems

 

[Samt03]

I know she's not a Mallard, we orginally thought that when we saw how small she was but cackle doesn't sell them.

Oh well, thanks for your answer. Would you happen to know if she'll get sick before she dies or give off signs of some type, or am I just going to walk outside one day and find a dead ducky?

 

[ducklover87]

My husband got me 9 Rouen the second week of June from Cackle (along with 9 Pekin.) Everyone was fine and healthy when we got them, but we lost power for 4 days in a storm and during that lost two Pekin, and one of my Rouen caught a cold. We got her better and she seemed fine like everyone else. A few weeks later though we noticed she wasn't growing as fast as the others but at the time didn't think much of it at the time, but I've been getting slowly worried. I've been watching her to make sure she's getting food and everything so I have no idea what's wrong with her. She's half the size of her brothers and sisters, just started getting a few feathers, and still peeps, but she did let out a quack when I picked her up. She acts like everyone else, like nothing is wrong with her, but I'm just worried with how tiny she is. Will she catch up to the others or will she always be small? Pick of her next to her sister (ignore the messy pool and run, it's time for them to be cleaned):

Since cackle doesn't sell mallards that's out of the question. Just like all things some are fine and others need extra help and care. Put them all on an electrolyte or probiotic and see if that makes a difference. It just might. Yes runts do die but not all of them and they look to be around 5 weeks old if I'm not mistaken. So if she's lived this long chances are she will still live. Where ever you get your feed from should have some electrolytes and they are fairly chea. Just follow the directions on the package and if you don't see any improvement within a week we can try something else.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

What are you feeding them? Is it possible that its a niacin deficiancy?

 

[Samt03]

What are you feeding them? Is it possible that its a niacin deficiancy?

They were on dumor chick starter when I first got them, I'm not sure of the protein percent but the bag said it was okay for duckies and it did have some niacin in it. We switched them over to a Southern States starter a few weeks ago because our Southern States dealer is a lot closer then TSC.

I'm paranoid about the niacin deficiency so I added brewers yeast to their water a few times a week anyway till I moved them outside. I stopped giving them brewers yeast and just kept an eye on them, but this week with how tiny she was I started giving it to them again mixed in their treats just in case.

I'm new to duckies so I tried to read as much as I could on here before I got them. I saw leg issues and such listed as side effects of a deficiency but not being tiny.

I am going to try what ducklover suggested and get electrolytes on Monday when I can get to the feed store & keep them on added brewers yeast, maybe that will help her?

 

[ducklover87]

They were on dumor chick starter when I first got them, I'm not sure of the protein percent but the bag said it was okay for duckies and it did have some niacin in it.  We switched them over to a Southern States starter a few weeks ago because our Southern States dealer is a lot closer then TSC.

I'm paranoid about the niacin deficiency so I added brewers yeast to their water a few times a week anyway till I moved them outside.  I stopped giving them brewers yeast and just kept an eye on them, but this week with how tiny she was I started giving it to them again mixed in their treats just in case.

I'm new to duckies so I tried to read as much as I could on here before I got them.  I saw leg issues and such listed as side effects of a deficiency but not being tiny.

I am going to try what ducklover suggested and get electrolytes on Monday when I can get to the feed store & keep them on added brewers yeast, maybe that will help her?

That will be fine. I must agree with you I've never heard of size being a niacin deficiency. I'm hoping the electrolytes will work. Until you get them if you have any apple cider vinegar on hand you can use that. 1 tablespoon per gallon of water.

 

[Samt03]

Wanted to post an update about her: she's doubled in size since my last post and started feathering out more then she was. Not sure what did it, if it was a combo of everything, but thanks for the suggestions. I'm still keeping an extra eye on her till she catches up in size to everyone else.

 

[ducklover87]

Wanted to post an update about her: she's doubled in size since my last post and started feathering out more then she was.  Not sure what did it, if it was a combo of everything, but thanks for the suggestions.  I'm still keeping an extra eye on her till she catches up in size to everyone else.

Congrats! I'm glad she's doing better!