Duck food in winter

[IowaDuckMama]

It has been below zero here in Iowa for a few days and I noticed that my ducks haven't been eating much of their pellets. I've made sure it isn't frozen in clumps due to moisture, and I've even replaced it with fresh pellets. Is it possible that the pellets froze and the ducks don't like it? I tried giving them lettuce but they could only eat it for about a minute or two before it froze into lettuce pops. Same with peas. They have eaten some cracked corn. I do have two heated water bowls for them, and today I warned up some pellets in the microwave, but it doesn't stay warm for long. I'm worried that they aren't eating enough.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

They might not be touching it because it might be hurting their bills.

I fed my geese crumbles only. They didn't like the pellets very much. Just make sure they always have water deep enough to put their heads under. And with the crumbles, they might sneeze from the crumbles too, so it really makes water important.

 

[Isadora]

It has been below zero here in Iowa for a few days and I noticed that my ducks haven't been eating much of their pellets. I've made sure it isn't frozen in clumps due to moisture, and I've even replaced it with fresh pellets. Is it possible that the pellets froze and the ducks don't like it? I tried giving them lettuce but they could only eat it for about a minute or two before it froze into lettuce pops. Same with peas. They have eaten some cracked corn. I do have two heated water bowls for them, and today I warned up some pellets in the microwave, but it doesn't stay warm for long. I'm worried that they aren't eating enough.

Interesting issue.
How long have they been picky about the pellets, just a day or two?
Did they eat the pellets after you warmed them up in the microwave?
Nothing has changed about the food, not a new brand or anything like that?

If this behavior is a recent thing, I would keep doing what you're doing. Give them a couple days to figure it out whatever they need to figure out and then reevaluate.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Mine slow down on consumption too the colder it gets, i blamed a lack of moving around, they pretty much go to their outdoor nest and stay there, while my head tells me its cold, so like wild birds they should be keeping fat stores up by eating more, I wonder if they handling it differently by not moving around. If you are thinking warm food would help you could try one of those galvanized water dish heaters that the dish sets on top of. But based solely on my own observation, the issue is behavioral, more than food related.

 

[indianaducks]

Mine sleep in duck piles more now that its cold and move less. Therefore they eat less. That changes though when we have a warm day in the winter and they are out and about being crazy - then OMG EAT ALL THE FOOD AND GIVE US MORE FOOD.

 

[Isadora]

Mine sleep in duck piles more now that its cold and move less. Therefore they eat less. That changes though when we have a warm day in the winter and they are out and about being crazy - then OMG EAT ALL THE FOOD AND GIVE US MORE FOOD.

Duck piles
Perfect.

 

[indianaducks]

Duck piles
Perfect.

When you have dogs before you have ducks... dog piles turn into duck piles LOL

 

[DrHawkeye07]

I notice this with mine every winter. You'd think they would eat more when it's really, really cold outside, but they're sitting around conserving heat and covering their feet.

 

[corriemartin]

I noticed this too--thought they would have eaten more with the cold, but it seems they're hardly eating anything at all. Never thought that about pellets--but they usually gobble them up. I sortof figured they know what they need and they'll eat when they need to.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Ducks aren't as active on the really cold days, so they eat less.