Drake feed versus duck feed - how's this work?

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Probably the smallest bag of starter you can find will be 25 pounds (way more than you are going to need for 4 birds) plan on blending that off into a layer feed ( most ducks don't really like to change feed) it won't hurt the drakes but the ducks will need the calcium to lay eggs. OR into a maintenance feed along with some oyster shell on the side for the ladies. This is not rocket science and you only need to worry about fancy rations if you want them to be their very best like if they are show birds. Don't try to save that starter for next year, by then the vitamins will have degraded to the point that it is useless as feed..

 

[Duck_feeder]

Quote:
To clarify, grit and calcium are NOT interchangeable. Often they are mixed together but they serve different purposes.

Grit is used to help break down food in the the gizzard of the duck. (The gizzard is an organ between the stomach and intestines that serves as the ducks' equivalent of people chewing their food). Grit is generally bits of rock or sand. If your ducks can't dig around in dirt and rocks you'll need to supplement their diet with grit. Free choice in a different container is fine - they'll know when they need to eat some.

Calcium looks like grit and will function as grit in the gizzard but it is used for structural (e.g. bones, eggshells, etc) and metabolic (e.g. muscle contraction) purposes.

Generally too much calcium is not a problem. In humans, the biggest complications with high calcium diets are kidney disorders, constipation, and kidney stones. Assuming these are the same problems a duck would have (no reason to believe otherwise - the major metabolic pathways for calcium are pretty straightforward) I would not expect drakes to have any problems due to relatively high amounts of calcium in their diets. Most of these problems are easily rectified in people by increasing the amount of water they drink.

The only risk legitimate risk of high calcium diets for drakes and non-laying ducks would be the kidney stones if they are fed foods high in oxalates (calcium based kidney stones are made of calcium oxalate). The most common high-oxalate food is spinach (much higher than any of the other foods), but other green leafy vegetables and most berries and tomatoes contain relatively high oxalic acid concentrations. Feed those foods in moderation (they can cause problems with absorbing too little calcium) and all the ducks should be fine.

 

[PineappleMama]

Whoops, should have said and, not or... grit is needed by everyone, calcium more for the ladies.. knew that, just had a moment.

So, if I was prepping for ducklings, and sticking with the TSC list...

Dumor 20% Starter/Grower Chick Feed, 20 lbs -$7.49 (*phosphorus 6.8%) until they're 4+ weeks, mix that in with Dumor 16% Layer Poultry Feed 50 lbs -$11.49 (*Phos .5-.62% + calc 3.9-4.1% + Protein 14.5%) until starter is all used up, then continue on with the layer feed from there... add in treats (veggies, berries, etc) as available/needed...

That Dumor stuff says roughly 4% calcium. Is that enough for layers, and safe for drakes? Do I need to add additional calcium for the ladies using that particular brand?

Can/Cannot add cracked -$7.99/50lbs (or whole 7.79/50lbs) corn to make feed last longer without adverse effects?? This is "Producer's Pride" and there's also a PP Scratch Grain Poultry 4 grain blend -$9.49/50lbs... better or worse than straight corn as a blender/treat??

Also, just exactly what size container would I need to hold 50lbs of feed, corn, mix, etc? Hard to picture that.

Tried to hunt for grit, but all that came up was a bunch of Dewalt supplies

which of course I had to take time to drool over. *sigh* ANYwho, y'all mentioned chick grit, and so I assume there's also adult grit. Will it hurt them to continue using chick grit until it's gone, or does that get dumped once they switch to adult grit? And at what age does that transition happen? 4 weeks like food, or 10, or 20??

Is there a list somewhere that shows how much calcium, protein, phosphorus, etc are needed by ducks at what age/laying status? If so, just post a link and I'll go hunting!

*This according to http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/forms/feedreport2002-2003.pdf which is granted several years old, but at least something to look at for numbers.

 

[Amiga]

PineappleMama,

I am thinking as fast as I can, but I don't think I can keep up with you!!

Here is what I can offer.

I think as the ducks grow they will need some more coarse grit to enable them to properly digest and adult duck diet (which is going to include some things you don't feed them, like beetles caught midair). You may be able to pass it along to someone who can use it (altruism is good for the heart), or just add it to the larger container of adult grit, slightly increasing its fine portion.

Holderread suggests using oats, up to about 10 percent of feed for extra calories and fiber (less calories than corn, but the fiber is good for them, too). Also, using small portions of dry cat kibble especially in winter, for extra calories and protein works, according to Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks. Do you have that book yet, or can you get it through your library? It contains a chapter on nutrition with all (or seemingly all) the ins and outs and options of duck feeding.

Best!

 

[slaghunter]

I fed my ducks regular chic starter (non medicated) until the bag was gone. Then switched them over to layer by Dumor. My ducks have run of the lawn and woods with a small creek. I have never given them any grit but there is plenty to be had. I have never offered any other calcium than what was in the feed. My duck eggs are plenty tough - you really have to work on cracking them. I assume that means they are getting plenty of what they need. I do however throw all my egg shells in with them. It is one treat that the ducks will bully the chickens over - both the ducks and drakes love them?? It has been my experience that ducks are pretty resilient and will eat just about anything you give them. You may be over thinking the whole thing. Probably the only thing you really need to do is figure out where you are going to put the rest of your ducks. I'm sure that after you have them for a while 4 will not be enough. They are so funny. I love to watch mine when I first let them out of their pen in the morning. The mallards fly to the creek and the rest run and flap their wings for all their worth. Then in they all go - splashing, diving, cleaning and oh yeah lots of duck love!!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Try http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_manuals/feeding_ducks.html
The one you quoted is basically a report on how well feed manufacturers are meeting the analysis Data listed on their labels. Warning you are going to have to know something about the nutrition values of feeds to make good use of the tables. good luck and you can always post if you need help.

 

[Amiga]

Nice resource, goosedragon.

Thanks!

 

[Wifezilla]

I feed game bird feed (plus they range a bit and get greens every day) and offer oyster shell free choice. Easy.