Feeding ducks Chick Grower or Egg Layer??

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mamaof2wi

mamaof2wi

Songster
6 Years
May 11, 2016
381
125
181
West Central Wisconsin
I work at a feed mill and we offer 3 different kinds of Chicken feed. Chick Starter (medicated, so will not use). Chick Grower 20% Protein (we recommend feeding broilers 6 weeks of age to market this feed) and Egg Layer 16% Protein. I am getting 4 baby ducks and I am guessing they will be around 3 weeks old. What one should I feed them and till what age? Do you just free feed your ducks? Once they get older they will be free range most of the time.

Note: These will be pets and will collect their eggs.


Thanks!
 
Last edited:
@Debs Flock
Feed them the chick grower, you can continue to use it throughout their lives. You will need to add some niacin to their diet, I was told to use Brewers Yeast.
Layer feed them is only good for laying hens. It does have lower protein, but it also contains calcium, which growing birds and birds that are not laying do not need, and should not have. So I never feed my meat birds layer feed, I always keep them on chick starter or meatbirds feed. Hens that stop laying should also be put on the chick starter. Many keep their birds on an all flock feed and simply supplement calcium.
 
OrganicFarmWife said:
@Debs Flock
Feed them the chick grower, you can continue to use it throughout their lives. You will need to add some niacin to their diet, I was told to use Brewers Yeast.
Layer feed them is only good for laying hens. It does have lower protein, but it also contains calcium, which growing birds and birds that are not laying do not need, and should not have. So I never feed my meat birds layer feed, I always keep them on chick starter or meatbirds feed. Hens that stop laying should also be put on the chick starter. Many keep their birds on an all flock feed and simply supplement calcium.
Click to expand...
Sorry I should have noted that these ducks are for pets and we will collect their eggs.

The chick grower we make here does contain calcium. 1-1.25%
 
Last edited:
mamaof2wi said:
OrganicFarmWife said:
[@=/u/347956/Debs-Flock]@Debs Flock[/@]

Feed them the chick grower, you can continue to use it throughout their lives. You will need to add some niacin to their diet, I was told to use Brewers Yeast.

Layer feed them is only good for laying hens. It does have lower protein, but it also contains calcium, which growing birds and birds that are not laying do not need, and should not have. So I never feed my meat birds layer feed, I always keep them on chick starter or meatbirds feed. Hens that stop laying should also be put on the chick starter. Many keep their birds on an all flock feed and simply supplement calcium.
Click to expand...

Sorry I should have noted that these ducks are for pets and we will collect their eggs. 

The chick grower we make here does contain calcium.  1-1.25%
Click to expand...

No i understood they were not for meat. The calcium is still much lower then your layer feed. I was just giving a rounded bit of info about each feed. Deb can tell you better, as can some others, but I would feed them chick starter with brewers yeast and perhaps calcium on the side.
 
OrganicFarmWife said:
No i understood they were not for meat. The calcium is still much lower then your layer feed. I was just giving a rounded bit of info about each feed. Deb can tell you better, as can some others, but I would feed them chick starter with brewers yeast and perhaps calcium on the side.
Click to expand...
Sounds great thanks!

We carry this kind of yeast (I can order in others though if I can only use brewers yeast)


http://www.diamondv.com/products/species-specific/xp-dfm/
http://www.diamondv.com/products/original/

(this price they have listed is crazy high. it is like $19/bag here)
http://www.firstplacefeeds.com/diamond-v-original-xp-yeast/
 
Last edited:
mamaof2wi said:
Sounds great thanks!

We carry this kind of yeast (I can order in others though if I can only use brewers yeast)


http://www.diamondv.com/products/species-specific/xp-dfm/
http://www.diamondv.com/products/original/

(this price they have listed is crazy high. it is like $19/bag here)
http://www.firstplacefeeds.com/diamond-v-original-xp-yeast/
Click to expand...
Maybe on ebay it would be cheaper? I don't really know, I get powdered niacin that I use as a water supplement for my ducks. I got it from my local health food store.
 
Last edited:
I put one tablespoon per gallon of the niacin supplement in their water. But I'm pretty sure that you could just sprinkle Brewer's yeast in their food.
 

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