Supplement Non-Medicated Chick Starter with Niacin

When waterfowl-specific feed is unavailable, use a non-medicated chick starter or grower feed and add a niacin (Vitamin B3) supplement to bridge the nutritional gap.

Why It Works

Ducks need roughly twice the niacin that chickens do. Without supplementation, ducklings on chick feed alone can develop leg deformities and joint problems. Adding brewer's yeast (about 1.5 tablespoons per cup of feed) or a liquid B3 supplement in their water corrects this deficiency effectively.

Tips

• Always verify the chick starter is non-medicated; amprolium-medicated feeds safe for chicks can be harmful to ducks.
• This approach is most critical during the duckling stage (first 8 weeks).
• Transition to waterfowl-specific feed when it becomes available.