Topic of the Week - Raising and Caring for Ducklings

[PirateGirl]

This has saved my ducklings! I’m getting them in spring and would have fed them starter for longer than two weeks. Thank you so much for posting! After two weeks or so do you start on grower? Or layer? My ducks will be having chicken feed with supplemented niacin.

No "layer" unless actually laying. Various feed stores will have various things. I would scout out the options at your feed store and then have the folks at BYC weigh in which they think is the best option! Some stores will have "grower" but some just go from "starter" to "layer". Some stores will carry "all flock" or "flock raiser" or something to that effect which is marketed for a variety of birds and not just chickens, these can be great options for ducks.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Is angel wing fixable?

Yes, if you bind the wings up before the duck is too close to full grown. You have to manually put them in the right position, for example by using tape, or putting a sock with the toe end cut off over the duckling.

 

[titanRX8]

Is angel wing fixable?

That is is yes and no answer. I was able to fix angel wing for one of my first ducklings by wrapping the wing in athletic tape. This means you have to catch it as it occurs with ducklings. The duckling will pull it off so you will have to re-wrap it often. Just make sure you don't wrap to tightly. Once they are older you can't fix it. I find that feeding them enough Niacin early on is the best course.
I buy nutritional yeast and add a Tablespoon per Gallon of water. I also fed them Purina Flock Raiser crumbles. That worked best for keeping wing and leg issues away. I had better results with my second batch of ducklings using this method.
I backed off adding as much yeast as they got older when it looked like the wings and legs were growing properly (like by 5-6 weeks old).
Nutritional yeast - https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Nutritional-Yeast-Flakes-10-Ounce/dp/B000MGR1N6/
Athletic wrap - https://www.amazon.com/MEDca-Adherent-Cohesive-Bandages-Approved/dp/B009ZHVRPG/
Edit to add - I have switched my ducks over to feeding them the floating Southern States Waterfowl feed now that they are full grown. It states on the bag it is 18% protein. They have been happy and healthy on that feed and lay eggs through winter even.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

I was able to fix angel wing for one of my first ducklings by wrapping the wing in athletic tape.

Note: Do NOT use duck tape.

 

[chickens really]

Is angel wing fixable?

If caught early enough yes..

 

[chickens really]

Maybe a thread should be started about Angel wing?..Sure is not the topic Sumi started..

 

[Abriana]

If caught early enough yes..

If not caught early enough can they live with it? Isn’t painful/uncomfortable?

 

[Henrik Petersson]

If not caught early enough can they live with it? Isn’t painful/uncomfortable?

They can't fly, for what that's worth. They are likely to bumb into things. I don't think it's a far-fetched guess that it's at least occasionally uncomfortable or even painful. Their resistance to water and cold might be compromised also.

 

[Abriana]

They can't fly, for what that's worth. They are likely to bumb into things. I don't think it's a far-fetched guess that it's at least occasionally uncomfortable or even painful. Their resistance to water and cold might be compromised also.

Ah ok. I’m getting my first ducks in the spring and if I mess up a bit I want to know if they’ll be ok. I’m going to be very very careful!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's more cosmetic than medical wings can be clipped so they don't catch them on things.