Mine are only 7days old and they were panting under the brooder light--so I pulled the plug. They seem much more comfortable without the heat lamp. Maybe it was the heat?
Baby Ducks Died
- Thread starter bigspringshatchery
- Start date
Were you feeding them crumble which is easy for little ducks to eat or pellets which can be harder to swallow?
we also feed chick starter for the first 3 weeks.....
- Thread starter
- #14
I was feeding the crumbles. But it is a lot smaller than my normal chick starter.
Quote:
The reason most people do not use medicated starter is because of the concentration of medication in the food. The ducks eat and process much more food in the beginning than chicks do, and the medicine in the medicated foods can actually poison them. Not to say it 100% will, and if your ducks are fine on it then that's your business, but it's better not to take the chance if you are new to ducks and only have a small number available to you.
The reason most people do not use medicated starter is because of the concentration of medication in the food. The ducks eat and process much more food in the beginning than chicks do, and the medicine in the medicated foods can actually poison them. Not to say it 100% will, and if your ducks are fine on it then that's your business, but it's better not to take the chance if you are new to ducks and only have a small number available to you.
Last edited:
Quote:
They can, sure, but the reason most people do not use medicated starter is because of the concentration of medication in the food. The ducks eat and process much more food in the beginning than chicks do, and the medicine in the medicated foods can actually poison them. Not to say it 100% will, and if your ducks are fine on it then that's your business, but it's better not to take the chance if you are new to ducks and only have a small number available to you.
Amprolium which is what is in medicated feed is a preventative....helps the chicks and duckling's guts build up a resistance to the coccidia protazoas that are in the soil. It's not an antibiotic which a lot of people seem to think it is. I've raised many ducklings on it over the years and have never had an issue using it. Back when I first started out with call ducks it was recommended to me to use it by one of the best call duck breeders around. You are right, it's everybody's business what they chose to feed, but the amprolium won't hurt them....and may in fact help them. Years ago the medication in the starter was medication that could hurt waterfowl and it's hard to convince people that the amprolium/amprol is not harmful.
They can, sure, but the reason most people do not use medicated starter is because of the concentration of medication in the food. The ducks eat and process much more food in the beginning than chicks do, and the medicine in the medicated foods can actually poison them. Not to say it 100% will, and if your ducks are fine on it then that's your business, but it's better not to take the chance if you are new to ducks and only have a small number available to you.
Amprolium which is what is in medicated feed is a preventative....helps the chicks and duckling's guts build up a resistance to the coccidia protazoas that are in the soil. It's not an antibiotic which a lot of people seem to think it is. I've raised many ducklings on it over the years and have never had an issue using it. Back when I first started out with call ducks it was recommended to me to use it by one of the best call duck breeders around. You are right, it's everybody's business what they chose to feed, but the amprolium won't hurt them....and may in fact help them. Years ago the medication in the starter was medication that could hurt waterfowl and it's hard to convince people that the amprolium/amprol is not harmful.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #18
So the baby ducks can eat medicated chick starter? I won't have a bunch if baby ducks. This time I hatched off two and I got one maybe two on the incubator. And I hate buying a bag of food for one baby duck
Quote:
Yes they can eat the starter you use for your baby chicks.
Yes they can eat the starter you use for your baby chicks.
Quote:
You're right, that's not an anti-biotic. However, bacitracin methylene disalicylate IS an antibiotic and is included at least in my own medicated starter, maybe not in others I don't know. It is supposed to be toxic to ducks and geese, but I admit I'm not 100% on that.
RIR, you can get a small bag of non-medicated game bird starter from places like tractor supple for around $5 and it should last you till the duckies can eat the grower the chickies eat. Otherwise you can give them medicated starter, as long as you're aware of the possible toxicity.
You're right, that's not an anti-biotic. However, bacitracin methylene disalicylate IS an antibiotic and is included at least in my own medicated starter, maybe not in others I don't know. It is supposed to be toxic to ducks and geese, but I admit I'm not 100% on that.
RIR, you can get a small bag of non-medicated game bird starter from places like tractor supple for around $5 and it should last you till the duckies can eat the grower the chickies eat. Otherwise you can give them medicated starter, as long as you're aware of the possible toxicity.
Last edited:
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
Question of the Day - Friday, February 13th, 2026- Started by casportpony
- Replies: 93
-
-
-
-
