Which duckling do you think is the Buff Orpington and which do you think is the Welsh Harlequin

[Red-tailed Hawk]

Pastryman, your ducks are adorable!!! It kind of floors me to realise I'm talking ducks with someone across the world from me. LOL! My boys actually were pretty cool with swapping ducks when I explained that they weren't going to grow up into the ducks I thought they would. Thank goodness it had only been one day. They've been spending a good deal of time out doors catching crickets and so forth for the ducklings, which brings me to another question of mine. I bought some Niacin tablets for the ducks water, but I think I got the wrong kind because it didn't disolve in the water at all! I used a gallon jug to measure the suggested 5 gallons into a bucket and emptied the contents of the tablet into the water. I stirred it, but none of it disolved. It just sort of spun in circles. I'm assuming it's because it was in a gel like form as opposed to the powdered form? I got the gel by accident. Didn't catch that it wasn't a filled with Niacin powder when I bought it. Is it possible to make up a smaller amount of niacin water at a time? It's just I've only got four ducks and using up five gallons at this stage will take forever. Also, if you used a heat lamp to brood your ducklings, do yours have any concept of daytime is for being awake and nighttime is for sleeping, because mine seem to never sleep. Is that normal? I've been wondering if the heat lamp is throwing off their circadium rythm.

 

[pastryman]

Sorry, but I have no experience with niacin tablets or gel.

I use old fashioned heat lamps with red light. I don't think it prevents them from sleeping. If they have a place that is quiet most of the time, and has some natural light during the day (or at least more light during the day), I think they will be all right.

I think the world would be a better place, if people around the world where talking more about ducks and chickens with each other.

 

[wendeld]

I use niacin tablets from a health food store or pharmacy i just crush them and add to the water in storeys guid to.raising ducks it says to use 100mg of.niacin per one gallon of water. Are you feeding them.duck starter ? If you are it should have the required amount of niacin in it.if it is in a gel case take apart the case and poor in the powder. I noticed the niacin doesnt really dissolve either but my ducks seem to be fine

 

[wendeld]

Also i used a red lamp too and i had no natural.light where they were brooding but like any baby animal i noticed they would wake up eat drink make a mess be active then fall back asleep again and repeat i kept the light on the whole.time

 

[pastryman]

It is true. The first week or two they dont really need a long period of complete darkness and sleep. But I like to give them a sense of night and day from the beginning. And later I think they need the long period of sleep and rest.