Cutting protein of duck starter

[Victow]

I have been feeding my ducklings duck and goose starter. It says to feed them until 6 weeks of age, they are now 6 weeks but I have so much food left over I don't want to waste it. How can I cut down the protein, it has min 20% protein. I have an Indian runner and a cayuga

 

[nuthatched]

You can keep feeding them that. Why does it say not to?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have never cut protein in my feed. I have Indian Runner Cayuga Buff and Muscovy and have never had angel wing.

 

[Victow]

You can keep feeding them that. Why does it say not to?

You can? For how long? As I have read that the protein needs to be 16% after 6 weeks and the feed also says to change to finisher after 6 weeks.

 

[Victow]

I have never cut protein in my feed. I have Indian Runner Cayuga Buff and Muscovy and have never had angel wing.

Have you switched between the different foods though? Sorry I'm new to this. I thought there are like 3 different foods starter finisher and layer? I could be wrong

 

[Miss Lydia]

Finish up the bag you have or if you want buy finisher and mix but it’s not necessary to change their feed. There is also an All flock that is 20% protein and that can be fed their whole lives from Hatch till death. And for layers just oyster shell on the side. I buy NONGMO
And I can only get it in starter and layer so my Young ones stay on starter till 3 months then I mix starter and layer until 4 months then they go on layers if I could get all flock in NON GMO I’d go with that.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I used to do the whole protein cutting thing because of the experts saying it caused angel wing. I noticed that the only ones with angel wing came from my one line. So I started feeding 20% all flock to everyone, stopped hatching that line of stock and have not had any angel wing even with hatching almost every spring. Then I looked it up and the experts technically don’t know 100% if the protein causes angel wing. It is only a theory with no concrete science behind it. You know what studies they do have on angel wing causes? Studies finding that waterfowl crammed in too close of quarters without enough space and genetics seem to be the causes.

 

[Victow]

Thank you both