CAN I FEED MY DUCKS PELLETS THAT WERE MADE FOR PET BIRDS SUCH AS COCKATEILS

[Dreamer9263]

HELLO,
I AM NEW TO THIS COMMUNITY, I RECENTLY ADDED 2 DUCKS TO THE FAMILY, FESTER & FRANCIEN!!! AT THE MOMENT I AM UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE TRACTOR SUPPLY STORE, TO PURCHASE THEIR NORMAL FOOD AND BEDDING. AFTER SOME RESERCH I FOUND THAT IT IS OK TO FEED THEM PET BIRD SEED. SO I PURCHASED A COCKATEIL SEED MIX BY ( HEALTH DIET )

I ALSO PURCHASED PELLET FOOD, ALSO MENT FOR COCKATEILS. THE BRAND IS (ZUPREEM) AND THE BAG NAME SAYS (ZUPREEM.... SMART PELLETS) APARENTLY THERE ARE ADDED VITAMINS AND MINERALS, AS WELL AS AMINO ACIDS.

I HAVE NOT FED MY DUCKS THE PELLETS AS I NEED TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT A HEALTH RISK FOR THEM. MOST OF THE MAIN INGREDIENTS, AND ALL SEEMS IN ORDER. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER INGREDIENTS, AND I KNOW CERTAIN PERCENTAGES OF CERTAIN THINGS CAN DIFFER HEALTH WISE BETWEEN SPECIES.

I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME FEED BACK ON HOW TO APPROACH THE SITUATION, AND IF THE PELLETS WOULD BE SAFE FOR MY FESTER AND FRANCIEN.

THIS IS A LINK TO INGREDIENST https://www.petsmart.com/bird/food-...od/zupreem-natural-medium-bird-food-3960.html

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It should be fine if they actually want to eat it. Other things you can feed in a pinch are whole shell corn or canned corn, peas, and other various grains. I don't think I would invest in pet bird pellets again, but see if they like them or not. I would get regular poultry feed asap.

 

[FortCluck]

They need to have food that's made for ducks like an all flock food that you find at a feed store or online. There are also duck specific foods at feed stores that have everything they need.

Ducks require niacin and if they do not get it they are going to get symptoms of niacin deficiency. The symptoms can be anywhere from bent legs, can't walk, and other severe health issues.

You can feed them that in the short-term if they will even eat it, but I would recommend getting them food that they can eat.

Other things that have niacin in it are; peas, nutritional yeast, Brewers yeast, and oats.