Cheap Duck Treats?

[OhTisLove]

Hi all,

I like to give my girls treats with their breakfast, which has basically meant about a cup of frozen peas warmed up each morning. I go through a 1lb bag of peas in three to four days, as I don't measure out exactly.

HOWEVER, the frozen peas are starting to add up, especially when not on sale. I did check at BJ's Wholesale to see if I could get a bigger quantity/cheaper price, but the price there worked out the same to the price on the peas at the regular grocery stores. (When on sale...which is almost every week.)

Is there something that I can buy at my feed store, in say a 50lb bag or so, that I can use as treats? I don't want to do grains, as they already get their layer pellets and I don't want obese ducks. This summer there is going to be a "duck patch" full of veggies for them to have in the garden, but until then (and after then) I need some treats for them.

Ideas?

 

[jbear]

a lot of times i will get the 'sale' salad mixes (you know, the almost slimy ones?

)... I don't know how many ducks you have, but a plastic tub of that will last a little while.... i put the greens in their water itself.

they LOVE it!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Frozen peas corn and beans that I get for my ducks are about the cheapest thing they get. I also give them other fruit and vegetables. I get small amounts of sunflower seeds which they love- but should only be given in very small qty due to the high fat contant. I tend to give them something fresh for variety as a treat rather than something dry like their main food is.

 

[truecolorsloft]

The dollar store(dollar tree) carries large bags of frozen corn/peas here. it's about a 2(or more) pound bag and it's $1.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Cheap Duck treats, I don't think that exists. I find the Ducks cost more than chickens because of their need for veggies and yeast (Vitamin B). That said.

Now my Ducks get Romaine. Also Kale, Mustard, Collard or Turnip greens at $1 or so a bunch chopped up and shared with the chickens over 2 days if its a large bunch. I buy frozen Peas, Green beans and Peas with Carrots. The ducks get one or the other daily about 1/2# a day.

I buy my husband Radishes and give the Ducks the Tops -free.

I keep carrots on hand so I can small shred them if I don't have anything else. - Cheap Or better yet juice the carrots and add water and give the pulp to the ducks and chickens, YUM. You drink the juice for a cheap energy lift.

The Ducks get any and all salad trimmings. Cabbage leaves, cucumber peel, etc. but no onions or potatoes.

Ducks and chickens will gladly eat left overs.

They love Apple cores and peels if they can get them. Melon and Rind, they will eat the melon and leave you the thinest of rind to pick up.

Oh, did I mention Sweet potatoes and Peel. But I warn you, toss and run. My chickens and ducks LOVE Sweet Potato Peel and will fly through the yard to get to them.

OH Yes, they get Scratch daily that I mix, Oats (they really don't care for that but eat some), Milo, Corn Chop and some sunflower seeds. Supplemented with a mix of Millet, Amaranth, Buckwheat and Flax several times a week.

My ducks are not fat and Scratch is a cheaper treat - actually it is food. On the otherhand, some of my older Hens are tipping the scale a tad, but they are happy hens. They also clean up after the ducks ( all those oats that are so good for egg laying).

Pretty much, if you eat it and its healthy, they will eat the trimmings and keep your trash to a minimum.

I give veggie treats out my back door at least once a day and watch my ducks and chickens come to eat them. This is when I look them over. How they are walking and how they are looking. I can tell if I need to add more Yeast to the duck diet by the way they walk. Do I need to Hold back on Scratch for the Hens to get them to eat more food or are they starting to molt then I'll add some cat food to up the protein. $7-$10 a week makes for healthy Ducks and hens.

Oh, I have 4 ducks with 3 adolescent ducks and 8 Ducklings and 23 hens with 16 chicks, but the numbers change monthly.

 

[Amiga]

I live in New England where it is possible to keep greens going through the winter, under a row cover. You might consider that for the coming fall and winter. Perhaps you could set something up like that. I use chicken wire and garden row cover, mostly. An old fabric shower curtain works well over my herb garden.

Dandelions and violet leaves are free favorites with my ducklings.

 

[Mom2Munchkins]

I can barely get my ducks to eat treats!!! They came from a great home. This lady loved them like kids, but she had no idea they could eat anything but layer pellets. So now I bring them fruit, cereal, peas, hard boiled eggs, you name it... They will NEVER eat anything in front of me. Sometimes I think they don't want me to have the satisfaction!!

I don't know why they don't like people, they RUN from us!

 

[Mom2Munchkins]

BTW, thanks for the dandellion idea!! Our yard will have thousands here shortly and my kids love picking them. Thankfully instead of pretending my allergic self likes them, I can say "The ducks like them more"

 

[katharinad]

Clover is a nice treat too. Also think about seeds you can germinate in 2 days. Sesame, flax, etc. The young shoots are full of vitamins and they will love it. Next build a lettuce bed. I have one that is 3x5 feet. Get a nice salad seed pack with mixed varieties in it. Plant 1/3 of the bed, and the next 1/3 two weeks later and keep on going. Keep cutting the leaves off so they keep on producing. Yank them out once they start to get a milky juice in them, and reseed. That is so cheap and you get more lettuce then you can handle. Don't forget to put spinach in there too.
Katharina