Ducks eating other ducks feather

[Member 630274]

I've seen my ducks and chickens pick up a small feather and eat it. I guess if it's laying on the ground it's fair game. lol
Your ducks need a well-balanced feed like an All flock or duck pellets. treats and foraging isn't well balanced. I believe Purina Flock raiser has 20% protein and It has never been a problem here along with foraging. There are other brands of all flock too. But just feeding them 12% treats along with foraging is like giving kids candy and a vitamin and thinking that is all they need. If you want healthy ducks and good layers too then switch them to a balanced diet.

I dont give them 12% treats... not sure how that got miscommunicated. I said I give them feed with 12% protein and treats with 8% protein in their treats since 15% is what Im seeing is recommended. Im not a total moron. Idk any decent person who would feed any animal or person that way. I sure dont know where you got that all I give them is treats and let them forage when my comment clearly states "their feed is 12%" and "their treats are 8%". I feel like Im on fb and some one just wants to argue and totally ignore what I've actually said. I could be wrong but I feel as tho I am being put down. Like Im some idiot when facts are presented and TOTALLY misconstrued back to me. Thanks for trying tho. At this point I think Im just going to let them eat feathers along with their FEED treats and foraging in the yard and just keep looking for articles that might give more info instead of asking for help from experienced people when they come at me with nonsense like that. Good day

 

[Member 630274]

Try Mazuri feed for Gamebird and Waterfowl. I'd probably get a small bag of the Starter and as soon as they stop eating feathers, mix it with their Maintenance feed. They use fish as their protein source and the ducks won't leave a single piece of it. They need the Vitamin B and Niacin in duck feed, or you must add Brewers yeast to their feed. Chicken feed doesn't have enough B Vitamins in it. It's better, I think, to feed Duck feed to chickens, rather than chicken feed to ducks. Overall because they eat it all, there's no waste and it seems to be worth the extra cost. I get it from Chewy.com

Make sure they are also getting grit. I start with chick grit and them increase to larger size in a few weeks. When you start the grit, start feeding them small amounts of fruits and veggies. I started by mashing over ripe bananas with a little warm water. They went nuts for it. Then peas, blueberries, and cutting Spring Mix lettuce into smaller pieces. In the winter they can have warm cooked plain oatmeal for a snack. Chewy has Black Soldier Fly Larvae which is much more nutritious than meal worms and an awesome treat is you need them to go into coop. They look expensive but because they are so light weight there's a lot in a 3lb bag and last a long time. Hope this helps!

yes very helpful. All of mine are over 8 weeks now and are past starter feed and get regular treats of fruits and vegetables. I was surprised at how many veggies they either cant eat or says need to be cooked 1st. I did not know about the bananas or oatmeal tho! or the black soldier fly larvae. I'll definitely add that to their snack/treat list. I also have never seen mazuri feed in our co-op but I will ask and look for it if they dont have it. Mine have also always gotten grit. as chicks and as adults. My aunt used to have chickens when I was a child so while I had little info on actually raising I did learn how chickens "chewed" their food lol. I need to re-research about some of the vegetables they can have. I thought I remembered they couldnt have spinach. I may be remembering it wrong tho. It could have been they can have spinach and I swapped it around for what they cant have in my mind. These dang birds are so picky!!! Moby (one of the 3 boys) LOVES berries, aflac is more of a peas and corn boy, and boosie is the only good one that likes em all. I just dont know what to do with these feather eating girls to bring their protein up to par so they'll quit eating feathers. They have turned their bills up at every snack except peas! They havent like corn, grapes, berries, the seed mix of treats or the compressed balls with molasses treats I attached a picture of in the original message. Running out of ideas for treats but the addition of bananas, oatmeal and the fly larvae I think is going to help for all of them. Not just the feather eaters LOL

 

[Member 630274]

Actually nowhere did I state "8% in their feed" my exact words were:

"Your scratch is not adding 8% protein to your ducks total diet. What the 8% means is that out of the nutrients in the scratch 8% of the scratch has protein which can be a little confusing."

The picture of the scratch that you posted has an analysis of 8% protein which you also stated in your exact words:

"I said I give feed with 12% protein and treats with 8% protein in their treats since 15% is what Im seeing is recommended."

" let them forage when my comment clearly states

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I havent posted a pic of their back of scratch grain As clearly stated by all of the things you've quoted me on. Also clearly stated was their snacks by name. FLOCK PARTY QUACK SNACKS which you can also clearly see in the pic. You even posted where I clarified their #8, 8%, or 8 way scratch feed has 12% protein again. PLEASE do not comment on things you've obviously not paid attention to and just want to attack someone you feel is about as ignorant of birds as I now feel about you in general.

This is what everyone is seeing and where I got the picture from

Also the term I used "Scratch" is a broad term used to describe seed and grain treat mixes for poultry. "Scratch" does not mean feed.

 

[Member 630274]

This is what everyone is seeing and where I got the picture from
View attachment 2902953

Also the term I used "Scratch" is a broad term used to describe seed and grain treat mixes for poultry. "Scratch" does not mean feed.

under your big red arrow it says "pic of quack SNACK nutritional info for reference. not scratch grain nor feed... Its a much better idea to actually read the book than make assumptions after just looking at the pictures.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

under your big red arrow it says "pic of quack SNACK nutritional info for reference. not scratch grain nor feed... Its a much better idea to actually read the book than make assumptions after just looking at the pictures.

Scratch is a very broad term used to describe grain and seed mixes for poultry which is what I was referring to instead of saying "Snack". I'm just going to tag some others for help and bow out. I hope you get the answers that you are looking for. **Tags removed**

 

[Member 630274]

Scratch is a very broad term used to describe grain and seed mixes for poultry which is what I was referring to instead of saying "Snack". I'm just going to tag some others for help and bow out. I hope you get the answers that you are looking for. @Isaac 0 @Overo Mare @Quatie

yes, for grain and seed mixed. Not for treats. I wouldnt consider a compressed ball of nutritional powder held together with molasses any kind of scratch. ESPECIALLY when they only get 2-4 per day and was preciously described this way in a previous comment...Id appreciate you removing those tags. I dont want your friends coming to attack me next just because you have something else to go do. Especially if they will ignore what I have said like you have.

 

[Member 630274]

Actually I think Im done here. If I could delete the thread I would. Ppl want to attack me instead of being helpful. Ive explained and no one wants to read the comments, they just want to look at the pictures and berate me, or scan comments and make ridiculous statements and misconstrue facts Ive previously stated. Except for addctd2plts. They actually tried to help. Thats 1 comment out of all of them. I am just so disappointed after other threads Ive read here that seemed so helpful to those asking the same questions I had instead of attacking them. Either way I wont be back to this thread.

 

[Member 630274]

Nobody is attacking you. Every reply I saw was from well respected members trying to help you. They are gobbling feathers, so obviously their current diet is not balanced or okay. Nobody is judging you here. Lord knows we've all lived and learned. We have to start somewhere in the learning game. We're trying to help you here with a proper diet.

I personally would stop all "snacks" and "scratch" and give them a 100% balanced diet like the Mazuri Waterfowl or something like Flock Raiser.

For treats, give them fresh stuff like peas and veggies. Black soldier fly larva are also great in small quantities. Anything other than their balanced feed is considered a treat. Treats should make up no more than 10% of their diet. That's roughly 1 T. per bird, per day.

I feed a 18% crumble and give everyone peas 3-5 times a week. Sometimes I'll give peas every day, but they don't need them so it's okay if I miss a day. I get to hear all about skimping on the peas the next time they get them though lol.

I dont care what you feed or what you do. I care about being respected enough to be left alone when I said I was done with this thread. Ive only heard the same crap about 10 times already because only 1 person didnt belittle me about 8% protein feed that was clearly stated and pictured as treats NOT FEED. Which I felt VERY disrespected by those harping on me for something they misinterpreted and that I have asked for it to stop and none of you seem to have the respect to do so. Addctd2plnts not incuded as they were the ONLY one not all over the 8% treats everyone was belittling me for feeding as feed. I guess you didnt read "snacks are just that... snacks" or "thats like giving a kid candy and vitamins and saying they'll be fine". That to me is just as disrespectful as taking my comment stating their FEED says 12% protein and their snacks are 8% and harping on me about 8% protein in ther FEED. That isnt helpful or respectful and I ONCE AGAIN would appreciate this to stop. You obviously didnt look at EVERY reply.

 

[Member 630274]

oh and miss lydia... at least she had enough class to apologize for misinterpreting treats for feed and not continue here. No one else has bothered apologizing. They just keep skimming comments or looking at pictures and making hurtful comments with false information. Thanks so much for all that...help, and coming at me some more. Real classy and REAL helpful