Duck Food.

[Berrybirds]

I’m a new time duckling owner and I was wondering when you change their food do you have to do what you do with dogs and integrate it or will they fine? The reason why is the food we first used is very hard to find so we switch to purine flock raisers crumbles. Also what other healthy snacks for 2 week old ducklings can I give them.

 

[Berrybirds]

On average when can ducks free range safely?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Flock Raiser crumbles is excellent feed for all poultry and nice thing about it you never have to change feeds again start them on it as babies and they can eat it all their lives. No need to integrate unless you have some of the other left and just want to use it all up.

When you say free range are you meaning out by themselves with out fencing around them?
@Berrybirds

 

[Berrybirds]

Yes but they will have a hut they can go into.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I only let my poultry including my ducks free range outside of their half acre fence if I am with them we're covered up with predators and roaming dogs have been known to roam these parts too so letting your ducklings out with out fencing is taking a big chance but some do. Will they be locked up at night?

 

[3bird]

We are NOT experts, but we do have seven happy ducks approaching their first birthday. We fed a high protein starter crumble for the first two weeks, and we fed it free choice. At two weeks we switched to a 16% crumble feed offered free choice 3x/day for 15 minutes each time. At around 7 or 8 weeks we transitioned again to a developer feed. At first we monitored feed per day based on their size (we have sliver Appleyards, which are a large breed). I think they got a little less than 1/2 pound per day fed in the morning and at night. Finally we transitioned them to a maintenance feed (we use Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance, and they are fed free choice.

We did supplement with dog kibble during the coldest parts of the winter, when they also got "soup for ducks" . Our guys usually free range several hours a day and are in their run at other times. We live in Maine, so there is not a lot of nutrition from free ranging in the winter--hence the soup!

I hope that helps.