My mallard drake...

Some of them get that . . . has he recently molted? I often think they just need some extra vitamins and/or protein.

Maybe try adding a couple of teaspoons of dry cat kibble to his daily diet for a few weeks. Not too much - but it would give a little protein and some vitamins.
 
Some of them get that . . . has he recently molted?  I often think they just need some extra vitamins and/or protein.

Maybe try adding a couple of teaspoons of dry cat kibble to his daily diet for a few weeks.  Not too much - but it would give a little protein and some vitamins.



What's crazy is I thought him eating the cats food was bad but now I guess I don't have to supplement some to him. He still eats his corn meal with protein and dried corn. He has molted a little. I'm wondering if he needs another supplement though. Something maybe I can put into his water? I know he has to be missing something. What do you feed yours? My boy is 100% house buddy.
 
What's crazy is I thought him eating the cats food was bad but now I guess I don't have to supplement some to him. He still eats his corn meal with protein and dried corn. He has molted a little. I'm wondering if he needs another supplement though. Something maybe I can put into his water? I know he has to be missing something. What do you feed yours? My boy is 100% house buddy.


What is your duck eating for the main part of his diet?

That's my next question, too, @enola @duckinlovin - is he primarily getting corn? That's not going to give him the vitamins he needs. Not judging - some folks think that's what they need to be fed, but we see nutrient deficiencies here on the forum when ducks get too much corn and not enough other stuff.
 
I still have him on a mix of coursely ground corn and chic feed mix (non medicated). He helps himself to the cats blue wilderness food. I worry because he doesn't get the roughage etc that comes with foraging naturally. Please give me some insight so I can keep my buddy healthy :)



That's my next question, too, @enola
   @duckinlovin
  - is he primarily getting corn?  That's not going to give him the vitamins he needs.  Not judging - some folks think that's what they need to be fed, but we see nutrient deficiencies here on the forum when ducks get too much corn and not enough other stuff.
 
I would say try to get some grower-maintenance food. If you can find and afford a waterfowl mix, great, otherwise just poultry mix is good.

and then you can find wheat seeds - untreated, food quality - that you can sprout. Around here, I can buy any amount in a bulk bin at a local mom and pop grocery store - they specialize in natural and local foods, but even big box grocery stores carry stuff like this, often.

I just soak the seeds overnight, you can also sprout them and even sprinkle them in a non-metal pie plate or similar container, like an old plate, and let them grow a little bit (fodder) and that's some nice green stuff especially in winter. That's what I do with my ducks. In fact, I drilled holes in a bunch of plastic bins (I have sixteen small ducks).



 
I would say try to get some grower-maintenance food. If you can find and afford a waterfowl mix, great, otherwise just poultry mix is good. and then you can find wheat seeds - untreated, food quality - that you can sprout. Around here, I can buy any amount in a bulk bin at a local mom and pop grocery store - they specialize in natural and local foods, but even big box grocery stores carry stuff like this, often. I just soak the seeds overnight, you can also sprout them and even sprinkle them in a non-metal pie plate or similar container, like an old plate, and let them grow a little bit (fodder) and that's some nice green stuff especially in winter. That's what I do with my ducks. In fact, I drilled holes in a bunch of plastic bins (I have sixteen small ducks).
That is great!!! Thank you!!
 
Note - I also cut two large openings in the fitted lids to these bins. That way, I water at the top and it flows down through and waters all the bins.

But at first I just used a couple of pie baking dishes.
 

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