Ducklings food intake declined sharply when we moved the into outdoor pen

[DuckDuckGander]

We have 3 Pekin ducklings, 4 weeks old. We recently moved them outside into their pen during the day, but they're only eating about a quarter of what they ate while they were in their brooder inside. Usually they eat 1-2 cups EACH a day, now they're barely finishing 1 together. Any ideas? The flooring of the pen is just dirt... there's a couple of plants, but they don't seem too interested in the plants. Pics of pen and duckaroos below.

http://i.imgur.com/FqJML18.jpg

the Pen

http://i.imgur.com/eE0Tgfz.jpg

The Ducklets

 

[Orca5094]

I was going to say they are probably foraging on insects and grass which will cut down on their pellet intake, but if all you have is dirt then maybe they are eating the dirt? How long have they been outside now? They could still be adjusting to the change, but I think it's more likely they are filling up on something else (dirt or the plants). Any worms or anything they could be digging up? Those are great sources of protein as well and of course would be totally fine for them to fill up on.

 

[localife]

OMG, they are so cute... I'd bet they are foraging for insects in the dirt and around the planters and edge of the grass, where many tasty little bugs like to live. Have you watched them for awhile while they're out there? What do they do?

When I moved my flock outside it cut my feed bill down to practically nothing because they forage so much, and they get exhausted from all the crazy fun they have. And anywhere there has been so much as a drop of water on the ground, they seem to know instantly that there will be some tiny critter there to eat, and they drill right on down in search of it. So their day pretty much consists of rushing out in the morning for a swim, chowing down on everything they can find, napping, then repeating all of that several times until I herd them back in for the night.