Duck Feed

[HomesteadDucks]

Hello Everyone,
I am trying to cut back cost on feed for my ducks this upcoming winter. I am already growing grains (popping corn, oats and buckwheat) in the garden. I wanted to also dry out some garden veggies (like a zucchini that gets too big or extra tomatoes) to mix in with the feed. Are there any veggies that ducks shouldn't eat when dried, or just shouldn't eat in general?
The same question goes for wild edibles too. I am also planning on harvesting wild edibles to dry and add to feed. These include wild apples, wild raspberries/black raspberries, blackberries, choke cherries, wild grapes, hickory nuts, walnuts, butternuts, pine nuts, etc.
If there are any plants, wild or not, that ducks can't eat, please let me know. Also, if any of the plants I listed CAN be eaten by ducks, feel free to tell me. If you know of any other wild edibles that ducks can eat, I would love to add it to my list.

NOTE: All of the plants will be dried for storage and will be served that way. If any plants become toxic when dried, please inform me.

Thank You,
Homestead Ducks

 

[GitaBooks]

Sounds like an awesome plan! I don't keep ducks, so I'm not sure, but I hope others can help.

Reading Small-scale Poultry Flock (by Harvey Ussery) taught me a lot about what is safe for poultry and what is not.

Best of luck!

 

[christinagaile]

my duck has been limping from a wound on her foot. She's done this before and then eventually got better with antibiotics and now I'm playing the wait game again. I've been helping her get to her pool and out to the field when it's time to graze and today after the drake got a hold of her good lovin she got to the side of the pool she started to point her tail down with her chest thrusting forward, and then she'd mash her head in the ground or curl it under her in a very uncomfortable looking manner all whilst shivering. So I put her in the water and she layed flat in the water and then again points her tail down and then submerged her head in water to a point that made me nervous that she wouldn't come back up. She's become very docile and just lethargic she's still eating and drinking but something is wrong. Help !

 

[GitaBooks]

my duck has been limping from a wound on her foot. She's done this before and then eventually got better with antibiotics and now I'm playing the wait game again. I've been helping her get to her pool and out to the field when it's time to graze and today after the drake got a hold of her good lovin she got to the side of the pool she started to point her tail down with her chest thrusting forward, and then she'd mash her head in the ground or curl it under her in a very uncomfortable looking manner all whilst shivering. So I put her in the water and she layed flat in the water and then again points her tail down and then submerged her head in water to a point that made me nervous that she wouldn't come back up. She's become very docile and just lethargic she's still eating and drinking but something is wrong. Help !

What kind of wound is it? Is it bumblefoot, a scratch, or something else? Is she eating and drinking normally? What breed is she? What age is she? What is she eating?

I hope I can help.

 

[christinagaile]

 

[christinagaile]

What kind of wound is it? Is it bumblefoot, a scratch, or something else? Is she eating and drinking normally? What breed is she? What age is she? What is she eating?

I hope I can help.

What kind of wound is it? Is it bumblefoot, a scratch, or something else? Is she eating and drinking normally? What breed is she? What age is she? What is she eating?

I hope I can help.

I think she got hung up crossing a vine with thick thorns. When you look at the food it's the heal portion that has a dark swollen wound. She ate meal worms from my hand today and I saw her eat and drink. She's almost 2 years old and she's a pekin. She has become more lame than when she was injured before. She's just acting so strange I'm terrified that I'm going to wake up to a dead duck

 

[GitaBooks]

Bumblefoot is treatable, though it can cause a terrible limp in animals. There is a lot of good information out there on cleaning the wounds. You may need to bandage the foot as well, to keep it clean while it heals.

Pekins are a heavy breed and can have trouble walking, though generally this develops at a younger age, if they grew too fast or have a niacin deficiency.

I do hope she is lively and doing better in the morning.
Its always so stressful to worry about waking up to dead birds. I'm currently nervously awaiting the arrival of three chicks that had a chaotic night. Eggs are disappearing from broodies and one broody lost all her eggs, so I gave her a couple from another broody that already hatched out one chick! Now I have to worry about three separate broodies and three hatching eggs, as well as a predator that seems to have stolen eggs from multiple nests.
The smell of rotten eggs is not something you quickly forget.

Best of luck!

 

[kunemama]

I found this list of foods that are good snacks/supplements for ducks so I'd imagine anything on here would be fine.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

I've heard that onions, garlic, leeks and chives aren't good for birds in general. I'm not sure if that applies to ducks but to be safe I'd avoid them.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I found this list of foods that are good snacks/supplements for ducks so I'd imagine anything on here would be fine.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

I've heard that onions, garlic, leeks and chives aren't good for birds in general. I'm not sure if that applies to ducks but to be safe I'd avoid them.

It does apply to ducks. Things in the lily family, which includes everything you listed, shouldn't be given to any birds. Small amounts probably wouldn't have a noticable effect for a bird the size of a duck, but better safe than sorry.

 

[christinagaile]

Help!! My sweet blue drake has a hole in his beak! I noticed it a week ago but it was crusted over so I thought maybe it was healing on its own but I looked today and the picture above is what I found. He is still eating and drinking but I really concerned. Will it heal up and grow on its own? It appears to have a small crack as well I don't know if my dog bit him or if it was from being bullied by another chicks (doubtful) or rubbing against the fence. I never noticed any blood. Any advice is appreciated he means a lot to me.