Duck food and water

[NoahSully]

I've been mixing water in my duck crumble for my 3 week old ducklings. When can they eat the food dry? Or do you guys always mix with water? Or never?

Never mind, I found a thread about this already.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wet-or-dry-food-for-ducklings.902390/

 

[Timothy Menezes]

I never put water on my ducks food but it’s not unheard of to do so. Seems like it would just make more of a mess to me.

 

[happy duck]

HI there!!!! And welcome to BYC!!! I know lots of people have told you that just I have not so Welcome!! I never wet my duck feed. Even the babies just seemed to eat it all up!!! If they have water close by they should be fine!

 

[NoahSully]

Oh and I read somewhere that ducks can choke on crumbles? I'm feeding them a Turkey and wild game bird feed from my Grange which is a crumble

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Turkey and gamebird feed might be too high in protein for ducklings. They WILL however be more likely to have the correct amount of niacin.

I always fed crumbled and never wet my feed when I had ducklings.

We also have grange... I far prefer Purina Flock Raiser crumbles.

 

[NoahSully]

Turkey and gamebird feed might be too high in protein for ducklings. They WILL however be more likely to have the correct amount of niacin.

I always fed crumbled and never wet my feed when I had ducklings.

We also have grange... I far prefer Purina Flock Raiser crumbles.

Is that what you feed your adults too?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Yes... from hatch, through laying and beyond. I provide oyster shell free choice separately for layers. I use this for chickens and ducks without issue. Some people might find they got a lot of waste using crumble. So wetting it is one way they reduce waste. I always kept my waterers at least about 10-15 feed from the feeder since ducks like to go back and forth so much. I also fermented for a while and that was fine as well.

The Purina flock raiser has 55mg/kg of niacin to feed and 20% protein, I had to contact the company for the information since it isn't listed as part of the guaranteed analysis.

Although I have seen some feeds labeled as turkey or gamebird that were much lower in protein than I anticipated so reading the nutrient label is always more important than just what they "call" the feed.

 

[NoahSully]

https://shop.grangecoop.com/products/purina--flock-raiser--poultry-feed-50-lb-92842.html

 

[CayugaJana]

Oh and I read somewhere that ducks can choke on crumbles? I'm feeding them a Turkey and wild game bird feed from my Grange which is a crumble

Unfortunately, you will read something bad or scary about any choice you make with your ducks.

It’s maddening trying to figure out the best setup and routine for your flock sometimes. But they will be just fine with crumbles. There’s always a freak chance of something going wrong. Don’t you wish they had a manual? “If this happens, go to page 43. If that happens, go to page 94.”

 

[NoahSully]

Unfortunately, you will read something bad or scary about any choice you make with your ducks.

It’s maddening trying to figure out the best setup and routine for your flock sometimes. But they will be just fine with crumbles. There’s always a freak chance of something going wrong. Don’t you wish they had a manual? “If this happens, go to page 43. If that happens, go to page 94.”

Haha that would be handy!!