youg muscovy duck sits a lot?

[cutlass1972]

We recently acquired 4 Muscovy ducks to keep our back runner duck company. We have noticed that one of them sits a lot. She doesnt appear to be in pain but it is like she cannot stand for long. She waddles around with the reset of the ducks but every time they all stop she sits down. When the rest of them decide to move on she gets up and walks right with them. When they stop she immediatly sits down again. I cannot see anything wrong with her, he knees don't look weird or swollen, nor her feet, she does not appear lethargic. She is just a little smaller than the other 3.

Any advice?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How old are they? I noticed when my Muscovy duck was around 5-6 weeks he would walk a little and lay down, he did this quite a bit, that was around the time I started putting brewers yeast on his food, I know if they aren't getting enough nician it can cause them to have leg problems, maybe her legs are a little weak, that is what i was worried about my duckling, he is fine now and 12 weeks old.

 

[cutlass1972]

They are about 6-8 weeks old I believe. They still have little tufts of baby fuzz, but mostly feathered. How did you administer the niacin? I need to do some research.

 

[cutlass1972]

BTW: The people we got them from are mixing their own feed from soy and such bought by the ton. It would not surprise me to learn they where a little vitamin deficient. I have noticed a marked improvement in their over all appearance since we got them a week ago. Their feathers and skin look a lot better. We are feeding them Purina layer pellets just because they are free ranging with our chickens and adult runner duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
At their age they don't need to be eating laying pellets, If your using Purina why not switch to Flock raiser and just offer oyster shell on the side to your layers they will eat what they need, then your ducklings won't be getting the extra calcium they don't need. I feed all my flock which is ducks, chickens and goose Flock raiser and just give the egg layers the oyster shell in a bowl by itself and they eat it as they need it. they have nice shells on their eggs and I've never had a problem since I've used it which is 7 years. I be they are looking alot better, get the nician in the form of Brewers yeast and just sprinkle it over top of their feed.

 

[Bekah095]

I have 3 ancona ducklings and theyre about 2 weeks old. I have 2 females and a male. The 2 females are huge compared to the male. He doesnt seem to be growing as fast as the others and he sits down alot. He doesnt seem lethargic or unhealthy in any way he just sits down alot. I feed them starter-grower duckling food with brewers yeast so they are getting niacin. Is he just slower than the other two or could there be something wrong?