HI...I have mallards that are 10 weeks or so old..and cayugas that are only 2 weeks old. I have to put them in the pen together during the day and am so confused as to what to feed them. I have the grower feed for the mallards (and my 3 month old chickens) but think the cayugas still need the chick starter( Dumor, Unmedicated) . I also give them treats but want to be sure the ducklings are getting enough protein and the mallards don't get too much. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Thanks
I had a similar situation with my mixed flock of Pekins and runners, the pekins were 12 weeks older than the runners when I mixed them. I chose a 20% mash mixed with a 10% grain scratch. I mixed it at a 17% protien rate and they all get lots of vegtable trimmings and alfalfa hay to supplement their diet that included black ants, lizards, flies and other little bugs. I kept the runners in their own night pen and hous and hung a light over a water dish at night. They got alot of bugs for the first fews weeks, both for protien and for niacin. They are all doing great with the runners being5 or 6 weeks old(i am terrible I forgot!) and the pekins being quite mature and finally accepting the two runners as flock mates.
i never use any chick starter or any of that i get poultry scratch and grind it up in a coffee grinder and make it into powder.. add a little water and give it to the really young ducklings. sometimes i even cook it. add a few finely chopped leftover fruits/vegetables here and there.. they will be fine
I use Flock Raiser mixed with about 25% oats as the basis for my duck's diet until they are laying age. To this I add various things including Brewer's yeast, sometimes Alfalfa meal, fresh greens, etc... (we vary it a little all the time, but the main staple of the diet is the Flock Raiser). I have raised now a couple hundred ducklings on this and they have done great for the most part.
Ok...so if I mixed the younger feed and older feed like 50/50,would that work? I also have cracked corn that my spoiled chickens won't touch. They prefer birdseed,thank you! I also give romaine and tomatoes a lot...some strawberries,peas,they don't seem to care for seeds much.I give them clover (I have an over abundance of that! ) dandelion greens and weeds and grass.They also chewed a bit on a corn cob we threw in after a BBQ.That seems to keep them busy for a bit!
I have also thought of this problem occurring when I begin raising ducks (have to make a pen first). I was wondering if I would feed the ducklings separately than the adults or if I would throw in all the same feed for both.
I use Flock Raiser and I've been very happy with it. In the flyer that I got with my ducklings from Holderread's they recommended using Flock Raiser if you couldn't get duck starter. As the ducklings get older I add a little Stratch with it.
