Waiting on ducklings!

[CoriM]

Adorable!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Precious babes! so happy to hear they made it and are doing great. I bet your son is so happy. if you make something like this for water they can't climb into it and they can't splash it all out. But they can dunk their heads.

 

[Schfam]

Precious babes! so happy to hear they made it and are doing great. I bet your son is so happy. if you make something like this for water they can't climb into it and they can't splash it all out. But they can dunk their heads.
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I will definitely make something like that!! I just wanted to wait and see how big they are so I can make the holes a good size!

 

[Schfam]

I totally know that anxiety - I feel like that every time, and also have stopped into the post office to ask early. Your tracking info will probably show when it's been delivered to the post office, then just show up that day as soon as they open and badger them. That's what I do. Do you have experience with Pekins? If not, the biggest thing to know is they grow super fast as they are bred to be meat birds, and sometimes their bodies can't quite keep up, so they easily develop leg problems. The way to avoid this is make sure you have a duckling feed with niacin, and also sprinkle extra brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast on top. If you see any problems at all start to develop you'll want to start them on liquid vitamin B complex (says injectable but it's for oral) ASAP. Every spring there are loads of people on BYC that have trouble with their pekins, that is why I mention it to you now, so you can prevent any problems! Pekins are very sweet ducks. I hope you enjoy them!

I’ve started adding nutritional yeast to their food. Is it normal for ducklings to lose their balance while preening? Both seem very strong and can run pretty quickly! One seems to lose balance more than the other while preening which seems acceptable given their shape, but I don’t want to overlook if it’s something more?!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think so. They need to work on life skills lol
Just keep up the nutritional yeast on their feed. If you notice one stumbling around feet starting to turn in it’s time for bComplex.

 

[Schfam]

I think so. They need to work on life skills lol
Just keep up the nutritional yeast on their feed. If you notice one stumbling around feet starting to turn in it’s time for bComplex.

I’m still concerned about this duckling. She seems to be walking less today, just a few steps at a time while her sister is very active. I’ve seen her eat, drink and poop but I don’t think she’s eating and drinking as much as her sister. I just went to drop my son off at a friends and he noticed her wings twitching. When I got home she was quivering. I gave her a few sips of water without electrolytes in case she wasn’t liking the water. When I pick her up she seems to like my warmth and settles in to sleep. I have a heater in the brooder which they have been under but when she was quivering she was outside of the heat plate. The room they are in is warm to begin with. Her vent looks clear. What else can I look for or do? Could it be niacin at 4 days old? I’ve been putting nutritional yeast in their feed since yesterday morning. Should I try vitamin b or could I overdo it? Thanks for any help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe add some liquid B complex unless you have Poultry cell to the drinking water since your using the NY on their feed. What their body doesn't need they will pee out. Is she getting wet? that can give them a chill.
I don't know what else you can do other than keep an eye on her.
When I have new littles they get NY on their feed and Poultry cell in their water.

 

[Schfam]

Maybe add some liquid B complex unless you have Poultry cell to the drinking water since your using the NY on their feed. What their body doesn't need they will pee out. Is she getting wet? that can give them a chill.
I don't know what else you can do other than keep an eye on her.
When I have new littles they get NY on their feed and Poultry cell in their water.

She’s getting weaker and weaker. Won’t drink an can barely stand. I tried to give her poly vi sol but I can’t get her to take it. I picked up liquid b but she won’t drink anyway. I had save a chick in their water. The other one is doing great but I’m afraid it may just be failure to thrive. My son is going to be devastated. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so sorry. Sometimes no matter what we do we will lose one. You might try using a dropper and putting it right along the outside of her bill and see if she'll take some that way. Just do tiny drop at a time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Schfam how's the duckling?