The Duck Thread

[ducklover31]

but if I take the pad out of there then they'll be cold and have to huddle together for warmth overnight

and I don't think it has to do with heating its always been like that and I haven't had the problem before

 

[Amiga]

Okay, when they are cheeping, they are really really hungry - They need food with water all the time for the first several weeks because they grow so fast.

It is also possible that there could be an electrical short in the heating pad so they could be getting little shocks. I am not sure, but it is a risk so get them off the heating pad, get them into a space where they can have water with their food. Here are some ideas for managing that, we all know they can really party with water and food, but it is not for very long, they are just babies.

Water babies.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259876/do-your-ducks-have-water-at-night/10#post_13568197


Maybe a bit cardboard box with a trash bag on the bottom, then put old towels on top of that, and a tray under the water and the food.

They will overeat and over drink and make themselves sick if they get too hungry and thirsty.

 

[Amiga]

What temperature is the house?

 

[ducklover31]

For tonight get the heating pad out of there.

Do they have water and food all the time?

I would get the heating pad out, put a few old towels in the bottom, there are 8 of them, they can cuddle up together. I think they will need more space as soon as possible, also.

You can get brewer's yeast and add that to their food daily, so if it is a niacin problem that should resolve within a few days.

and ive also seen a few of my fully grown ducks do the same neck/head jerk but they turned out to be fine ive never seen it with a baby and where does one get brewers yeast and niacin?

 

[Amiga]

Drugstores, sometimes the big box stores, or health food stores carry it.

I know you care very much for your ducklings. Please make the changes I suggested - you might be able to use a hot water bottle overnight to keep them warm if the house is not around 75 degrees F. But since I don't know the answers to the questions I have asked, I don't know what else to suggest to you.

 

[ducklover31]

Drugstores, sometimes the big box stores, or health food stores carry it.

ok I guess ill just try my best with this thanks for your help I just dont know why their doing that but ill rearrange some things and give them more room and food and water at all times thanks again!

 

[Amiga]

You seem like a very conscientious person! I have noticed that some ducklings are just more sensitive to things like niacin - I don't know why, we don't see problems with all ducklings that eat chick feed, just some.

Please check back in tomorrow to let us know how things are going. I need to go to sleep now - I will check back in the morning.

Prayers for all of you.

If they are getting some grit, so that it is safe for them to eat something other than crumbles, you could give them some worms - those have a little niacin in them. But the ducklings need to have had a little bit of chick grit first.

Goodnight.

 

[City farm]

Hey, so I need you guys' opinion. Wobbles does this sometimes and it freaks me out. It looks like she's just having a hyper, overly preeny-ful moment, but she gapes and yelps sometimes when she does it. It's quite unsettling, but at the same time she makes happy chirps and is totally fine after her little episode is over. Is she ok?

All she is doing is dreaming, in real life about being in a pond.. Put her in a extra large storage container full of water and watch her play, just like that.. We move the large container around the yard, then use the water in the gardens

 

[Amiga]

When my runners do that, it seems to me that they are saying, I feel pretty. They do it after playing hop on top. Some of what Wobbles is doing looks like chafing a bit with the harness - very nice looking harness. So maybe it makes her feel special but in a strange kind of way.

How old is she? If she is just hitting sexual maturity, then it is probably the I feel pretty body language.

 

[Alice28]

Drugstores, sometimes the big box stores, or health food stores carry it.

I know you care very much for your ducklings.  Please make the changes I suggested - you might be able to use a hot water bottle overnight to keep them warm if the house is not around 75 degrees F.  But since I don't know the answers to the questions I have asked, I don't know what else to suggest to you.

If you can't find it there, any grocery store should carry nutritional yeast in the spice isle. We used braggs nutritional yeast. It's also high in niacin and we already had it and use it to add to our sons food