ANCONA DUCKLINGS to be specific.
They are twelve days old.
1. Most of them ALREADY have large, cracked swellings on their foot pads--not under the toe joints, but the 'ball' of the foot. BUT THEY'RE ONLY TWELVE DAYS OLD!
Wanted to order from Holderread, but they don't carry Anconas anymore
So ordered from another hatchery.
2. One came with badly splayed legs. I hobbled them, but it was so weak it starved to death the day after they got here. BUT HERE IS THE GRIPE OF POINT TWO HERE: Two two four other ducklings are quite unsteady on their feet, trip, wobble when they move about, stand still, etc.
3. When standing, almost none of them can raise a foot off the ground to scratch themselves WITHOUT FALLING OVER. The other leg gives out. Now maybe I lack enough experience, but this is something you'd expect in a bird one or two days old, BUT ALMOST TWO WEEKS??
4. Three of the ducklings have stunted growth compared to the others. One especially....scrawny too.
5. Several of them have very thin down on parts of their bodies--neck and near bend of 'wings'. The pink skin is clearly visible through the thin yellow down. One seems to have a BARE PATCH on side of neck.
DO ANY OF YOUR DUCKLINGS HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS AT SO YOUNG AN AGE?
I assert that it is the fault of the hatchery, and specifically, deficient diet of the breeders. All of the above point to NIACIN deficiency, if you look to Holderread's book. These birds have been weak on the legs from the start. And just this evening, to my intense displeasure, I noticed the large, cracked swellings on the balls of their little feet.
YES, I have had them on Niacin per Holderread's dosage since the beginning
NO, I haven't brooded them on concrete!!!!!!! Good gracious!!
IF YOU SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS, YOUR REPLY WOULD BE APPR'D. I do NOT think you will find ANY of this stuff if you have good quality stock.
Apparently, I didn't get so lucky.
thanks for reading
They are twelve days old.
1. Most of them ALREADY have large, cracked swellings on their foot pads--not under the toe joints, but the 'ball' of the foot. BUT THEY'RE ONLY TWELVE DAYS OLD!
Wanted to order from Holderread, but they don't carry Anconas anymore
2. One came with badly splayed legs. I hobbled them, but it was so weak it starved to death the day after they got here. BUT HERE IS THE GRIPE OF POINT TWO HERE: Two two four other ducklings are quite unsteady on their feet, trip, wobble when they move about, stand still, etc.
3. When standing, almost none of them can raise a foot off the ground to scratch themselves WITHOUT FALLING OVER. The other leg gives out. Now maybe I lack enough experience, but this is something you'd expect in a bird one or two days old, BUT ALMOST TWO WEEKS??
4. Three of the ducklings have stunted growth compared to the others. One especially....scrawny too.
5. Several of them have very thin down on parts of their bodies--neck and near bend of 'wings'. The pink skin is clearly visible through the thin yellow down. One seems to have a BARE PATCH on side of neck.
DO ANY OF YOUR DUCKLINGS HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS AT SO YOUNG AN AGE?
I assert that it is the fault of the hatchery, and specifically, deficient diet of the breeders. All of the above point to NIACIN deficiency, if you look to Holderread's book. These birds have been weak on the legs from the start. And just this evening, to my intense displeasure, I noticed the large, cracked swellings on the balls of their little feet.
YES, I have had them on Niacin per Holderread's dosage since the beginning
NO, I haven't brooded them on concrete!!!!!!! Good gracious!!
IF YOU SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS, YOUR REPLY WOULD BE APPR'D. I do NOT think you will find ANY of this stuff if you have good quality stock.
Apparently, I didn't get so lucky.
thanks for reading
