Duckling/duck food questions!

[carlyducks]

Hi! I will be getting two female ducklings May 2nd. I have been getting mixed information on which feed ducklings need and for which weeks. I am mostly hearing this:

0-3 weeks 20 % chick starter/grower
3 weeks -laying maintenance
laying- layer, obviously

is this accurate? I also wasn't sure what the "maintenance" feed means? Is that like a grower/finisher?

And also does anyone recommend any specific brands for the babies? My adult ducks are fed DuMour which is the big yellow bag sold at Tractor Supply..

One last question.. I have a laying female who is on laying crumble, but for my 8 mont old drake what should he be eating? I have him on a 15% grower/finisher.. Is this right? Once again Im not sure what a maintenance feed is, is this one?

Please help! Thank you!!
-Carly

P.s. I will be adding brewers yeast for the ducklings for niacin, for any one concerned!

 

[Miss Lydia]

To keep it simple just go and get Purina Flock raiser it is formulated for all poultry including water fowl and then you can put out Oyster shell for your layers. It is so much simpler than having to change feed and trying to keep the drake from getting too much calcium. Get the crumble. once your babies get up around 5-6 weeks old you can switch to pellets if you want. I can't say enough about this feed and being able to start new babies right off on sure helps. Brewers yeast is great for getting the extra niacin in them.
1 Tab per cup of feed.
Not sure if Dumor makes and All Flock but they might.

What breed are you getting?

 

[PirateGirl]

If I remember right, maintenance feed is like your 15% grower/finisher. It's a lower percent protein than some other feeds (don't need as much if they aren't laying). As long as your grower isn't the 24% broiler grower you are good with that.

 

[carlyducks]

If I remember right, maintenance feed is like your 15% grower/finisher. It's a lower percent protein than some other feeds (don't need as much if they aren't laying). As long as your grower isn't the 24% broiler grower you are good with that.

Thank you!

 

[carlyducks]

To keep it simple just go and get Purina Flock raiser it is formulated for all poultry including water fowl and then you can put out Oyster shell for your layers. It is so much simpler than having to change feed and trying to keep the drake from getting too much calcium. Get the crumble. once your babies get up around 5-6 weeks old you can switch to pellets if you want. I can't say enough about this feed and being able to start new babies right off on sure helps. Brewers yeast is great for getting the extra niacin in them.
1 Tab per cup of feed.
Not sure if Dumor makes and All Flock but they might.

What breed are you getting?

Thank you so much! I am getting a saxony and a fawn & white runner! So the Purina all flock raiser is okay for all ages/genders of ducks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nice breeds Yes PFR is great feed and can be started on it and fed through their whole lives. How easy is that? lol

 

[PotatoWaffles]

Whatever you feed them, make sure it's not medicated feed. Ducks can't handle medicated feed like chickens can. When I had ducks, I fed them Dumor brand because it was the only non-medicated feed around I could find.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Ducks need more protein than chickens do.

I have all my poultry (ducks & turkeys & guineas included) on meat bird feed. In the warmer months, the feed ferments. In the colder months (like now) it's wet feed. [I don't have heat in the house, so it's nearly impossible to ferment the feed when the interior house temps are in the 40's.]

I supplement the feed with eggs, vegetables, fruit, soaked rice/beans/legumes, and sometimes meat. In the spring/summer/early fall, the animals have full access to the fruit trees and garden.

My duckies are my best foragers and wander all over the common areas for bugs and goodies.

I do add ground, dry eggshells to their feed if I notice their duck egg shells are a bit thin. That rarely happens.

I add apple cider vinegar to their drinking water.

Watch the feet/legs of your duckies. When they are low on some nutrients, their feet turn inward, or they walk oddly.

 

[carlyducks]

Ducks need more protein than chickens do.

I have all my poultry (ducks & turkeys & guineas included) on meat bird feed. In the warmer months, the feed ferments. In the colder months (like now) it's wet feed. [I don't have heat in the house, so it's nearly impossible to ferment the feed when the interior house temps are in the 40's.]

I supplement the feed with eggs, vegetables, fruit, soaked rice/beans/legumes, and sometimes meat. In the spring/summer/early fall, the animals have full access to the fruit trees and garden.

My duckies are my best foragers and wander all over the common areas for bugs and goodies.

I do add ground, dry eggshells to their feed if I notice their duck egg shells are a bit thin. That rarely happens.

I add apple cider vinegar to their drinking water.

Watch the feet/legs of your duckies. When they are low on some nutrients, their feet turn inward, or they walk oddly.

Thanks you so much for all the info!

 

[carlyducks]

Whatever you feed them, make sure it's not medicated feed. Ducks can't handle medicated feed like chickens can. When I had ducks, I fed them Dumor brand because it was the only non-medicated feed around I could find.

Yes I will for sure make sure it is not medicated, thank you!