20% protein Duck food?

[Dbinn]

Can someone please recommend the best duck food witb 20% protein? My flock is all girls and all 3 years and olde. I live in the Midwest if that makes a difference

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The easiest thing to do is get an all flock feed at 18% protein. That is sufficient for a mature laying duck.
Depending on your state, you may have an Orscheln's, Farm & Home or Tractor Supply. Any of them will have 18% all flock. Farm & Home also carries a duck feed.

 

[Dbinn]

Do I need to look for any specific amount of niacin content? Or any other specific nutrient content?

 

[Kiki]

Do I need to look for any specific amount of niacin content? Or any other specific nutrient content?

Can you see this?
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...Ehg799sDT-qM/edit?gid=531636464#gid=531636464

 

[Dbinn]

Yes. I appreciate all of the information. What I need to know is which ingredients do I need to make sure is in the food I choose and at what %?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

All flocks generally have the minimum niacin. I currently feed kalmbach flock maker. I only add nutritional yeast in the first 6 months. I always have oyster shell on the side for layers.
I've also used other all flock feeds - purina and naturewise with no issues.

 

[Penpal]

The label on the bags should tell you % and ingredients. Compare the labels.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't believe niacin PPM is required to be on the guaranteed analysis tag but it may be if it is specifically a duck feed. In fact I'm pretty sure no vitamins are required to be listed. Some manufacturers will list the vitamins A, D and E but most don't. Only Lysine, Methionine, Crude Protein, Fat, Fiber, Salt, Calcium and Phosphorus are all that are required on poultry feed.

 

[saysfaa]

Do I need to look for any specific amount of niacin content? Or any other specific nutrient content?

No. If it is labeled for ducks, it will have enough.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@ChickenCanoe is correct, Niacin levels are not required to be disclosed on guranteed nutrition tags here in the US. A few years ago, one of BYC's posters contacted Purina and Nutrena about the niacin levels in their "All FLock"-type formulations, both were adequate for generic/average adult ducks.

Many (most?) of us get Pekins from TSC and the like for meat production, Pekins need more niacin than other ducks, and hatchlings need more than adults. For that reason, many of us raising ducks (particularly Pekins) choose to add nutritional yeast (which has a decent niacin content) to the feed to the first months. How much to feed depends on which nutritional yeast you get - will have to read that label. If you have other duck breeds, smaller or slower growing, their niacin needs are much closer to "average generic adult duck", you need concern yourself with additional niacin much less.

Should also be aware that nutritional yeast is high protein, which has been associated with the development of angel wing in ducks and other waterfowl (not as strongly as high carbs), so this is a case where 18% crude protein + nutritional yeast is [perhaps] a marginally superior choice to 20% CP plus NYeast.

I personally have raied my ducks on up to 24% CP w/o issue, but its a very small sample size, so consider that a footnote, not anecdote, and certainly not data. You won't be adding enough NYeast to change 20% CP feed to 24% CP - or at least you shouldn't be.

Oh, and if you can get it at reasonable price, Brewer's Yeast is a much better choice than Nutritional Yeast - most can't. You can also add niacin drops to their water if desperate and no other alternatives present themselves.