Alrighty, so, I've got a duckling who is starting to confuse me. Or at least make me wonder if I should be concerned. I have 3 that hatched on October 24 - Sassafras, Percy and Backwards Betty (Betty was breech and hatched from the pointy end of her egg). Sassafras and Betty's voices are already starting to change, I hear that little honk-like quack every so often.
Anyway. Sassafras was the first to hatch and she's the one I'm confused about. When they first started walking around she seemed a little lazier than the others. I can't see any physical differences, nothing looks or feels wrong with her legs. They've been getting Mazuri waterfowl starter from the beginning and I give them a packet of durvet probiotics in their water every other day. I've also been giving them a sprinkle of fortified nutritional yeast on their food at least 2x a week to make sure they're getting extra niacin even though the Mazuri food should have enough for them. Sassy still lays down more often than her siblings and if we're sitting on the floor is much more likely to climb onto someone's leg and lay down than the others. I've also started giving them a squirt of B-Complex on treats once a day just in case she's somehow not getting enough from the Mazuri starter and nutritional yeast. Though, it seems weird that it would be a niacin deficiency since this behavior started when she was about 2 or 3 days old and she's getting all the same stuff as her siblings. Is it possible that she's just more of a snuggler than her siblings? She did get more one on one human attention her first 24-36ish hours since the other two hatched a good 18 or more hours after her. I don't want to overdose her, or them, on niacin if she's just lazy or a cuddler. Is there a clear way to tell the difference between niacin deficiency and "lazy"? (I did read the sticky post about niacin deficiency but I don't think there was much there that folks here, and in other duck groups, have already taught me. I've had ducks for a good 10+ yrs and have had 4 house ducks for 2+ yrs now so duck care isn't new. Sassy just seems a little different.)
I can try to get video of them later, they're napping now, but she doesn't look different when she's walking around. They're all fairly clumsy looking when they're walking around but baby ducks always look a little clumsy. Especially when they get into this stage where they're growing fast and look like gangly teenagers. Her legs don't look bowed, don't appear to have any trouble staying under her, she climbs people, pillows, dogs, whatever else like a tiny mountain goat. She just decides to lay down when she gets to wherever she's going. Am I worrying for nothing?
Anyway. Sassafras was the first to hatch and she's the one I'm confused about. When they first started walking around she seemed a little lazier than the others. I can't see any physical differences, nothing looks or feels wrong with her legs. They've been getting Mazuri waterfowl starter from the beginning and I give them a packet of durvet probiotics in their water every other day. I've also been giving them a sprinkle of fortified nutritional yeast on their food at least 2x a week to make sure they're getting extra niacin even though the Mazuri food should have enough for them. Sassy still lays down more often than her siblings and if we're sitting on the floor is much more likely to climb onto someone's leg and lay down than the others. I've also started giving them a squirt of B-Complex on treats once a day just in case she's somehow not getting enough from the Mazuri starter and nutritional yeast. Though, it seems weird that it would be a niacin deficiency since this behavior started when she was about 2 or 3 days old and she's getting all the same stuff as her siblings. Is it possible that she's just more of a snuggler than her siblings? She did get more one on one human attention her first 24-36ish hours since the other two hatched a good 18 or more hours after her. I don't want to overdose her, or them, on niacin if she's just lazy or a cuddler. Is there a clear way to tell the difference between niacin deficiency and "lazy"? (I did read the sticky post about niacin deficiency but I don't think there was much there that folks here, and in other duck groups, have already taught me. I've had ducks for a good 10+ yrs and have had 4 house ducks for 2+ yrs now so duck care isn't new. Sassy just seems a little different.)
I can try to get video of them later, they're napping now, but she doesn't look different when she's walking around. They're all fairly clumsy looking when they're walking around but baby ducks always look a little clumsy. Especially when they get into this stage where they're growing fast and look like gangly teenagers. Her legs don't look bowed, don't appear to have any trouble staying under her, she climbs people, pillows, dogs, whatever else like a tiny mountain goat. She just decides to lay down when she gets to wherever she's going. Am I worrying for nothing?