Ever since we got him, he had something a little funky with his eye. When we inspected it, it looked like he just got something stuck in it, like hay or... honestly it kind of looks like eggshell though I have no idea if that's possible or not. It used to agitate him, but since we took him home and he was swimming and bathing regularly, he stopped fussing with it.
The mash is NOT medicated, so we mixed some of it with his crumble just to introduce some niacin. We also ground up peanuts (i read that they are a very high source of niacin and safe for ducks if chopped fine or ground), and he's been eating mealworms. We just got back from the store with some peas. So far, his appetite hasn't changed. He gets excited over food and drinks a lot, but no more than normal really.
His tremors have lessened quite a bit and he's not cheeping constantly. He's also been trying to stand up every few seconds and while his legs can support his weight, he can't balance very well and when he DOES stand, he shoots straight up with his beak kinda pressed into his chest (i'll post pics shortly). He has stopped making that chewing motion with his beak and actually got a decent bit of sleep last night. His whole body isn't really shaking anymore either.
We let him out of his bucket to stretch his legs, so to speak, and inside the bucket, we lined it with towels so when he tries to stand up, and falls over, he won't land on anything hard.
I can't find Niacin supplements anywhere... I've been to all the feed stores near me and had to explain what it was at every store, and nobody carries it.
As far as head injuries go, I'm wondering if one of the other ducks knocked his head? He's taken a few little spills here and there, nothing bad, and he once decided to NOT use the wide stairs we created up to the pond and took a tumble. However, he was never dazed at all and I never saw him hit his head. The day this all started, my roommate went out to check on everyone, saw him swimming in circles nonstop and making that persistent quiet cheeping noise, and that's when she took him inside.
Should I be careful about how much Niacin I give him? My roommate literally just told me that
Walmart carries a supplement but I don't know what dosage he needs.
But, as I was trying to find an answer I came across this bar ale turkey grower which listed the niacin content and it is only 24.7 mg. I know it is not the same brand, just pointing out that not all turkey feeds have enough niacin. If I were the op, I would contact the company just to be sure. I looked at the brand mentioned (kruse) and they have niacin in the ingredients, but not the amount (guaranteed analysis).
