Duck Care Myths: Water, Niacin & Health with Dr. Teresa Morishita

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Do ducks need a pond? Can ducklings swim? Does every duck need extra niacin—and what health risks should backyard keepers actually watch for?

Jennifer Bryant welcomes poultry veterinarian Dr. Teresa Morishita back to Poultry Nerds for a practical conversation about duck care, feeding, and flock health. Jennifer brings examples from her own Welsh Harlequin flock and her move toward Muscovies, while Dr. Morishita discusses the questions she encounters in veterinary practice.

In this episode:
• Drinking water, bill-dipping, and the mess around duck waterers
• Preening, feather condition, and safe water access for ducklings
• Cold-weather questions and how ducks conserve heat
• Avian influenza, duck viral enteritis, botulism, and Salmonella
• Why dead birds and contaminated water need prompt attention
• Niacin, brewer’s yeast, balanced feed, and medicated-feed questions
• Handling ducks carefully and protecting their feet

This episode is educational and is not a diagnosis or treatment plan for an individual bird. If birds are sick, injured, or dying unexpectedly, contact a poultry veterinarian or your state animal-health office.

Read the companion duck-care guide and find the research links:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/2026-episodes/duck-care-myths

Explore poultry health and biosecurity:
https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/poultry-health

About our guest:
Dr. Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, PhD, DACPV, is a professor of poultry medicine and food safety at Western University of Health Sciences and a Diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.

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