Diet for Mandrins

[dbunni]

My daughter has a beautiful pair of whites. They have been doing good, but last night I noticed the mail is a little "gimpy". They are not in an area that damage can happen. Wanted to check and make sure the diet was giving them everything they need. I know in big animals, if they don't have certain elements it can cause bone lameness.

So ... what is the best diet for Mandrins ... protien?

Thanks ...

Oh .. we are in Northern Ohio ... could it be cold related? They are inside a barn, unheated except the goat breath! On straw with a "puddle". 4x4 area covered.

 

[KansasKid]

I feed mine purina flock raiser and all my birds are healthy. One of my drakes does have a slight limp thats been with him forever and i've looked him over and he is healthy and theres no wound so i'll be curious as to what other people think.

 

[waterdog]

Any duck grower should be fine for the Mandarins 16-18% protien, the cold should not be an issue as long as they have water available and plenty of straw under them. It has been in the single digits at night for the last week here in Michigan and ours are outside. It may have just injuried it some how, we have ducks that limp from time to time with out any sign of injury, most of them are back to normal in a short time.

 

[destinduck]

Ditto on what waterdog said. Last sentence me too

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Only waterfowl feed I can get here is duck starter so my Mandies get duck starter with oats, barley and corn, also as a treat dry catfood and feeder goldfish in their swimming water!
They see me with a handful of cat food and the male gets all noisy and twitchy waiting for me to throw it already.

 

[kangababy]

Quote:
Mine limp from time to time and I have wondered about that. I think it must be from hitting the net to hard if they are flying and not paying attention or just like us people.. we all get sore or bruise something. They normally snap out of it.

As for feeding. We feed ours a mixture of Feed Wheat and Laying Pellets.. This time of year we have switched to 1/2 and 1/2. They also will feed on the Southern States Waterfowl Fowl Floater when I am feeding the divers. The Mandarins on normally right there with the divers. All of the birds are learning this is their "treat". As a big treat they also get Minnows (which they steal from the divers when they come back up) and Mandarins love crickets!!