Skinny duck... Not growing as much!

[The chicken Hatcher]

Hi, I just recently got a hold of 3 runner ducks. I don't know much about them, and two are gaining weight much faster than one. She is significantly skinnier than the other two. Something i should be worried about? I'm kinda freaking out!!!

 

[The chicken Hatcher]

does it mean she's a girl and the other two are boys??

 

[Peas4Ducks]

How old are they? I would recommend trying probiotics in their water, that seemed to help our smallest duckling catch up with her flock mates.

 

[The chicken Hatcher]

 

[The chicken Hatcher]

Also what kind of probiotics? I've given them electrolytes like Sav a Chick.

 

[Peas4Ducks]

Also what kind of probiotics? I've given them electrolytes like Sav a Chick.

Sav a Chick also sells packets of probiotics that you can mix in water with the electrolytes or on its own—you can buy it at feed stores or on Amazon!

 

[The chicken Hatcher]

How old are they? I would recommend trying probiotics in their water, that seemed to help our smallest duckling catch up with her flock mates.

I'd say at least a couple weeks, They're just getting their tail feathers.

 

[The chicken Hatcher]

Sav a Chick also sells packets of probiotics that you can mix in water with the electrolytes or on its own—you can buy it at feed stores or on Amazon!

Thank you! I'm freaking out cuz I don't want her to die, you've been very helpful

 

[Peas4Ducks]

Thank you! I'm freaking out cuz I don't want her to die, you've been very helpful

You’re welcome! I can’t promise the probiotics will make her grow but they definitely won’t hurt. Good luck!

 

[Isaac 0]

Birds that appear to be growing at a slower rate, or where you're unsure they're eating enough, I usually recommend weighing them on a gram scale daily. Weighing daily gives a little further insight into how much weight the duckling is putting on, and can help determine if treatment is effective.

It is not uncommon out of a brood to receive a runt duckling that didn't absorb enough egg yolk during hatching, or suffered from some sort of problem early on that has stunted its growth. Poultry vitamins such as Sav-A-Chick, or poultry Nutri-dench can often at correcting these problems.