Ducklings and cornmeal?

[FeatheredDuck]

alright so my family is on a tight budget and im looking for solutions to feeding my ducklings. can they be fed cornmeal or will it hurt them?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Don't. Ducklings need at least 18% protein, and corn has 8% protein. Just buy the cheap 50 lb bag of chick starter for $16 at your local feed store. Get the stuff with the most recent mill date and it'll last you longer.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you are on that tight a budget, you may need to rehome your chicks. Cornmeal is much more expensive than chick starter. For ducks, IMO, they should have multi flock starter which I believe is higher in protein than chick starter. Some one please correct me if I'm wrong. Your ducks could be irreversibly harmed if they do not have adequate feed.

 

[Toru]

Yes, the chip non medicated chicken strarter 18-20% will work. Around 2.5- 3 weeks you need switch to lower protein 17-16%. The weather is getting better, so let them eat grass, bugs - free stuff. Some breeds of ducks are good foragers. Good luck

 

[Toru]

Do not get me wrong - the ducklings still will need chicken starter.

 

[DarkRose]

I recently picked up khaki Campbell ducks and I wanted to know the same thing. Can I feed them cornmeal? They are one and a half years old.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

Can you clarify if your asking about feeding corn as a main course or a snack. As snack or treat, yes, just don't give to much as it's the lowest protein grain there is. As a main staple, absolutely not. Way to low in protein, and also way to low in vitamins/minerals. Ducks are extremely fast growing and need the proper balance of vitamins/minerals or they will be unhealthy and have skeleton issues. Niacin deficiency will cause them to go lame and be unable to walk. A bag of proper feed is cheap, and ducks that go lame or die are useless to you.