wish me luck, looks like a niacin deficiency...

[SDChef]

the title says it all. All my ducklings and goslings have been looking good until I came home from work today. My Fawn and White Runner duckling (17 days old) was stumbling all over the place and falling backwards. from what I have read and others experiences it looks like a niacin deficiency. So I brought her into the house and set her up a mini brooder, she is eating and drinking just fine, still peeping whenever i talk to her and is TRYING to stand up and move around. Anyways she now has water fortified with extra niacin and plenty of food and I am keeping my fingers crossed that she will be ok in the next couple of days.

as for the rest of them I mixed a niacin capsule in with their food this time. I had been sprinkling a bit in their water but with their constant playing in it I had a feeling this might happen eventually. Sure enough my worry became a reality. Think I am doing the right things???

I am a home brewer and have some extra brewers yeast packets lying around so I am thinking of adding one to her food instead of totally spiking her water. I don't want to over do anything either!

 

[jmc]

imho if it were a niacin def. yoiu would have seen symptoms for a while and maybe with all the birds--but who says there are rules in nature. but if it is, it could take weeks to get her up to par. but i wonder if it really is niacin def. but if it were bad feed, perhaps other flock members would be suffering that too, just like she is. best of luck to you

 

[SDChef]

the reason I am guessing a niacin def. is because in the last week it has been an issue keeping their water filled which is where I was adding the niacin. she and my chocolate runner have both been the runts and are always last to get food or water. I brought both of them inside so they could have more time to grow, they are a little more than half the size of the other Runners. not to mention the fawn and white was crying up a storm without anyone their with her. I guess all I can do is just keep my fingers crossed.