duck feed

[LADYBUG1]

Now that my ducks are older I think about 2 months old and are almost ready to go outside what do I feed them. I have had them on chick starter and they are going to use it all up in about 3 days and I want to know if I should buy them something different. I also have some younger ducks about 3 weeks old and I think they need to stay on the chick starter but I don't know. Please help.

 

[Amiga]

I switched my runners over to grower ration at about three weeks of age. It is a grower/maintenance ration, which I plan to supplement with cat kibble and free choice oyster shell during laying season. It is a good balanced ration, so that should work for your ducks. Have they been going outside regularly? Chick feed is rather low in niacin for ducks - some are okay on it, some have troubles. Bugs have niacin.

Hope that helps.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
I don't know WHY that struck me so funny, but it did. I don't think I can look at bugs the same way any more. They have niacin!!

I really do appreciate the information, I'm just feeling silly. Bugs have niacin. I'm gonna have to tell that to my Cayugas.

Even earwigs??

Okay, I'll go back to my corner now. Pssst: Bugs have niacin!

 

[Bryanccfshr]

A lightbulb a foot over a big water bowl at night is a great way to supplemnt the niacin and protien needs of the duckilings and it gives them a taste for the crustacean variety of food.

 

[Cetawin]

I would keep them on non-medicated starter (Start n Grow) until they were about 8 - 10 weeks old then switch to a grower like Flock Raiser which is far better for ducks than the mainstay brands of chicken food. Then transfer them to Layena when they start laying. That is what I did with mine following the instructions from Holderreads when they arrived.

They have done excellent with no issues whatsoever.

 

[buzymom13]

Even earwigs??

Okay, I'll go back to my corner now. Pssst: Bugs have niacin!

Sorry strikes me as funny too.... guess we're sitting in the same corner...LOL

 

[Sweetfolly]

Where are you located, LADYBUG1?

If you're in the Midwestern United States, you might be able to find Purina Duck Grower. I switch my ducklings over to the grower feed when they're around 3 weeks old, and I feed them that until they start laying (at which point, I switch them to a layer feed).

 

[LADYBUG1]

Thanks for the infor on the duck food. I will go to the feed store tomorrow and get what I need. And no they haven't been outside yet. I need to make sure my pen is very secure. We have fisher cats around here and other wild animals. Also our neighbor has dogs. I am not taking any chances. I am located in north eastern CT.

 

[Amiga]

LADYBUG1,

I am glad to read you are being cautious. Here in SW CT, fishers are rumored to be around but I don't know that they are in our immediate area. We have a long list of others, though.

I am using, among other things, hardware cloth over all openings and two strands of electric tape around their house and night pen.

Enjoy the ducks!

 

[tdgill]

A DARK AND GLOOMY CITY STREET CORNER

A rat scurries across the sidewalk and behind a row of trash cans. A young couple walk closely together out of the dim light of a street lamp and into the dark, huddled as if to shield themselves from the night. Across the street a homeless man is picking up cigarette butts and an unattractive prostitute shakes her head at him in disgust. A flickering street lamp lends an errie feel. The camera pans down the length of the street lamp to the base and zooms in on a cockroach in dark sunglasses

COCKROACH
(to no one in particular)

"psst. Need Niacin? Got some grade A niacin here..."