Thoughts on this duckling feed?

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I bought this “special mix” when i got my Cayugas. I was planning to switch them over to Dumor as it runs out. Should I do it sooner? Seems to have a lot of corn.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How old are your Cayugas?
My only concern is that young ducks need 2 to 3 times the niacin as chickens need. It says a waterfowl and chicken food but doesn't really declare the amount of niacin. I would probably ask the manufacturer how much is in it. 18% protein is probably sufficient.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

How old are your Cayugas?
My only concern is that young ducks need 2 to 3 times the niacin as chickens need. It says a waterfowl and chicken food but doesn't really declare the amount of niacin. I would probably ask the manufacturer how much is in it. 18% protein is probably sufficient.

Well, how old are they? That’s a great question. Alleged as 10 weeks, and I also have a bridge for sale. I’ve been sprinkling a little brewers yeast as a matter of course, Consensus seems to be that they are 4-5 weeks. I don’t mind buying a bag of Purina or Dumor. I bought this because it was what they had been started on, but I am questioning it being appropriate. The protein i like the percentage of, and I think at 20% the purina is a little high.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well, how old are they? That’s a great question. Alleged as 10 weeks, and I also have a bridge for sale. I’ve been sprinkling a little brewers yeast as a matter of course, Consensus seems to be that they are 4-5 weeks. I don’t mind buying a bag of Purina or Dumor. I bought this because it was what they had been started on, but I am questioning it being appropriate. The protein i like the percentage of, and I think at 20% the purina is a little high.

I agree. 18 to 20 is good for ducklings. The brewers yeast is a good additive as well.

 

[User635240]

Metzer says ducklings need 22% crumble for the first 2 Weeks then switch to 18%. https://www.metzerfarms.com/nutritional-requirements.html

Personally I recommend supplementing human grade niacin 500mg, irregardless of the feed type, per day as well to prevent rickets.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Metzer says ducklings need 22% crumble for the first 2 Weeks then switch to 18%. https://www.metzerfarms.com/nutritional-requirements.html

Personally I recommend supplementing human grade niacin 500mg, irregardless of the feed type, per day as well to prevent rickets.

By human grade niacin you’re referring to brewers yeast supplement for humans instead of horses?

 

[User635240]

By human grade niacin you’re referring to brewers yeast supplement for humans instead of horses?

I tried organic brewers yeast with one cohort of 12 ducklings and they all still got rickets. The Nutricost brand of niacin supplement for humans seems to work best. I added 1-2 capsules of 500 grams to their water daily. Edit: I tried three niacin supplements with three cohorts of ducklings this year - Nutricost, Bulk Supplements, and Frogs Organic Brewers Yeast. The ducklings on the Nutricost niacin are by far the healthiest looking, they are Cayuga but they stand tall like runners. Also FEIW, I lost 5 ducks last week to predators, from the Brewers yeast and bulk supplement groups, not the Nutricost group. This may be due to the slower pace of the two former groups.