- Thread starter
- #21
- Jul 23, 2013
- 10
- 0
- 22
God bless you all for the most powerful words of wisdom she has recovered again thank you I know where to turn for answers now
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
CareForYou - That is Great news! I hope she continues to improve. Is she eating anything?
Ruru - Thanks so much for getting back to me. I looked at every feed store in two counties. I was thrilled to find the Duck Chow as my only other choice was chicken feed.
I agree about the cracked corn being unsuitable as a main diet but at 10 % of the ration in summer and 20 % in winter it does have Vit A and provides a high energy level from carbs to balance the Duck Chow and sunflower seeds that are high in protein, fiber and fat. Ideally, I want my ducks & geese to forage on greens & grass while the Chow fills in any gaps, especially in winter.
I am concerned about you saying that black oil sunflower seeds cause kidney failure due to high calcium. What is your source on that? I'm a biologist and I did a lot of research before choosing the black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) to complement the Purina Duck Chow. Adult geese need about 3% calcium as well as female ducks whereas the drakes only need about .7% or so. The Purina has a minimum of .4% calcium with a maximum of .9% so I need a calcium supplement. (Cracked corn is low in calcium.)
I choose BOSS over oyster shell, etc because it is a good source of calcium but it's not too high. BOSS runs about .25% calcium per kilogram dry matter with 15% protein and is a good source of niacin, Vit E and iron. Please read up on it at Feedipedia.org which is an encyclopedia of animal feeds. It says BOSS is SAFE for all species.
I would appreciate any info you have on BOSS. Keep in mind that the sunflower seeds that humans consume are a different type so the nutrional info would be different.
We all want whatever is best for "the children" aka our flock. Knowledge gives us that edge and sharing multiplies it. Take Care, Sherilyn
RURU n you feed sounds like something I may even likeNO, too much calcium given can cause kidney failure. Sometimes when we try to give our geese and waterfowl good diets sometimes we can over give on good things for them. Calcium is great for our females when laying eggs and through the breeding season because they need extra calcium to replenish what is used up into the eggs from their bones. But sometime we can get carried away by feeding too much. That is what I meant. Sorry if I worried you...
I feed at certain times a good mixture of a bird feed that has different type of shelled nuts in it and the geese love it. This is for the females and the ganders enjoy nuts too. I also feed a nuts and berries mixture in the breeding season.
But mostly I feed the water fowl feed or the game bird feed and mix it with oats.
I think everything on our acreage comes into my garage to get into my geese feed!!! We have had a raccoon this year we have had to get rid of coming in and tearing open the geese feed to eat it. Then the squirrels have been coming into the garage tearing open the geese feed. Then their are the mice must I say more, everyone likes our feed!!!
Wonderful news, now how about some pics of your 2 we love to look at picsGod bless you all for the most powerful words of wisdom she has recovered again thank you I know where to turn for answers now
Careforyou, how often are you changing their swimming water? How close are your neighbors? Are you giving them the niacin in their drinking water? What kind of plants do you have growing in the yard or even on the other side of the fence?Well I have learned a lot first of all going by the signs when I purchased these two I thought they were african grey but I know now chinese geese is what I have when I got home tonight my male gander is falling forward anf then gets up and falls back I have searched the whole yard can not figure it out. He gets into pond and eats and drink without any problem I am going to take pictures and maybe another set of eyes could help me figure out what is going on