A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Chicken Egg 17]

What protien do ducklings need? I feed ALL my birds (chickens, turkeys, poults, chicks) the same thing. 21% protien starter/grower. Everyone does wonderful on it. I know they say to start turkeys off at 28% but I don't and I have no issues.

When we had ducks we had got some sort of feed specially for baby ducks but we haven't had ducks for at least 4 years so it was hard to tell one time we had there pool of water next to the porch and my sister was out on the porch waiting for the school bus and fell in there pool with poo and muddy water they liked to pick up grass in there black and put it in the water and eat it

 

[R2elk]

What protien do ducklings need? I feed ALL my birds (chickens, turkeys, poults, chicks) the same thing. 21% protien starter/grower. Everyone does wonderful on it. I know they say to start turkeys off at 28% but I don't and I have no issues.

The problem with starting poults on a low protein feed is that you can't see the problems it causes. Keets and poults need the high protein (28% or higher) for the proper development of their internal organs. Shorting them on the protein they need will lead to shorter life spans and also prevents them from ever reaching their full potential.

I start everything based on the highest protein required by whatever is in there. If there are keets and turkeys, everybody gets the high protein including the chicks. If there are only chicks, that is the only time that I feed chick starter and it is still a 20% protein feed.

Adult chickens, guineas and turkeys do not need more than a good quality feed that has 16% protein. It has been said that anything above 16% protein for the adults just results in more ammonia in their excrement.

The one thing that I do remember from when I raised ducks and geese is that they should not have a medicated feed. Most high protein turkey and gamebird starter is not medicated but medicated feed is fine for chicks, keets and poults. Most chick feed is medicated.

A quick google is showing a recommendation of 21% protein for ducklings but most of the posts are from companies that I do not trust since they are only interested in their profit and do not care what damage their products will cause.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Aurora, how many mottled did you end up with? And what other colors will you keep & grow out?

Ralphie, did you end up with any Adam babies?

I had 10 hatch total. 1 royal palm and 9 mottled. I last one of the mottled the first week but I all have 9 babies growing out. Most of them are very social and sweet and a couple already have some of those pretty white spots on their feathers

 

[gevshiba]

And so it begins!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I just moved 7 turkey eggs over to the hatcher for lockdown....I thought they were due on Saturday. They're not. They're due on Friday and half of them are already pipped internally lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

And so it begins!

Aww so cute! Is she an experienced mother or is she a first timer?

 

[gevshiba]

Aww so cute! Is she an experienced mother or is she a first timer?

This is 2 different hens, and there's another that didn't let me see any babies, but I think she has some. They are all first timers.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I just moved 7 turkey eggs over to the hatcher for lockdown....I thought they were due on Saturday. They're not. They're due on Friday and half of them are already pipped internally lol

I have one piped internally and another is working on it then the last egg should be starting the day after them

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

And so it begins!

Does she have a chicken that one looks oddly like a chicken but with a pointy beak

 

[gevshiba]

Does she have a chicken that one looks oddly like a chicken but with a pointy beak

She has a couple chicks. Another has all chicks. I think one has all poults, but I can't remember.