Calling all duck people....help

[Chick_in_Indiana]

I have ducklings (a pair of grey mallards and a pair of runners) coming at the end the month and I have been researching everything I can about how to take care of them. Here is what I have come up with on feeding:
weeks 1-2 waterfowl starter or gamebird starter or nonmedicated poultry starter (all 18% to 20% protein)
weeks 3-5 poultry grower/finisher (15% protein)
week 5 introduce wheat
week 10 and on mix poultry grower and wheat 50/50
when ducks begin to lay feed layers feed
Does that sound right or is that just alot more work then is neccessary. So do you keep the grower and wheat out for the drakes and a seperate bowl of layers out for the females? What about my chickens? They will be in the same coop and they eat layers feed. Will they all just share or do they know what they need.

How old should they be before they will be safe to hang out with the chickens? What age can they be free range? Should they be fenced in for a while before they are free range? So many questions please help. Thank you.

 

[Katy]

I start my ducklings out on medicated Purina Start & Grow. Medicated feed is fine for ducklings as long as all it has in it is amprolium. Amprolium is a coccidiosis preventative. I keep them on that until they go in with the adults and then they are all fed Purina Flockraiser. I don't feed mine wheat...when it's cold out I throw them the same scratch as my chickens get.

 

[snugglepup]

I think you are probably making it harder than it has to be.

I have fed both amprolium and/or non-medicated chick starter. Then when they were big, I have fed Flock Raiser and/or layer crumble. Mine also free range during the day. My ducks are pretty sturdy, and except for occasionally getting a bill stuck in the fence(sooo embarrassing), no problems.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Yea, you're stressing WAY too much. Starter to begin with until they are big enough to go to grower (if you even want to do grower(...I think it'd help) and then layer. I have been told many times not to give medicated starter b/c the type of med. can effect ducks negatively, so what I've done is kind of give 1/2 starter 1/2 lay crumble and it's worked out great for me - just my experience. I do know that w/bantam ducks though, particularly show birds, there are specific diets. I have just raised a couple groups of 'meat' birds (rouens, pekins, blue swedish) and some snowy calls, white calls & a black east indie.
HTH,
kristi

 

[snugglepup]

I am wondering if duck foods (like dog foods) are marketed to people... not ducks (or dogs), and if there is really that much difference.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
You're probably very much right!

 

[AhBee01]

I would make sure that the duck and chickens are the same size, meaning that I wouldn't put ducklings in with my already grown chickens! This past summer I let my ducklings and their chicken Momma out for a little bit to get some sun shine and one of my poulets tried to run off with a duckling! Lucky I was there to catch it before he was chicken food!
I have raised chicks and ducklings together, but the ducklings make a mess for the chicks!
Brenda
I feed my ducks and chickens a duck/chick starter, then a finisher, or layer mash! Right now they are all on layer, and cracked corn!
Brenda