ducks not hungry

[sayyadina]

We noticed today that the ducks & geese haven't been cleaning up all their feed like usual. This is surprising, since its been so cold here (below 0 at night). Our high today was 2F! I have 16 ducks (runners & harlequins) plus 2 geese.

We have 2 feeders set up that get 3-4 cups (as in measuring cup) of feed (Blue Seal pellets, don't remember which) twice a day. They have a heated waterer that we keep full, so they have good drinking water at feeding.

I'd think, with it being so cold, that they'd be ravenous (like the alpacas). Is this normal for waterfowl?

Otherwise, they're behaving normally.

 

[ejctm]

I would not worry too much, so long as they are otherwise healthy. When it got really cold, I gave mine high calorie cracked corn and wheat (I think it is called scratch in the US) in the mornings as this raises their body temps and helps to keep them warm from the inside. Also, a bowlful of warm porridge oats cooked up with water not milk with added treats in like chopped apple, greens, dried garlic and soggy bread. Not a great staple diet, but good wholesome energy-rich food for cold weather! They loved it and so did my chickens!

I think they spend more time huddling than running around so maybe use less energy? or conserve their energy for keeping warm rather than running around much?

 

[HottentotTeal]

Mine usually eat, but eat a bit less when it's close to freezing.

I also give them a little bit of cracked corn and supplement with canned worms when it's cold now.

They always eat the worms.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine do the same thing. When it's frigid like your seeing now, we had it about a week ago, my goose and ducks just mostly laid around trying to stay warm, they didn't eat as much. Now that it's back up into the 30's during the day they are back to eating good again.. SO if everything else is okay it's probably the weather.

 

[Rosebud 18]

My ducks and chicks are just the oppsite. When it was in the 20's and below they ate a lot but now that it's in the 40's they don't eat much at all. I worry about them when they don't eat much.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Me too!

 

[sayyadina]

Thanks, everyone.

I thought it might be due to the cold, but I wasn't sure. My alpacas are always MORE hungry when its this cold, but I guess the ducks are different.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It seems that mine on the extremely cold days when the wind is blowing they mostly just hunker down and just barely eat. and today it's 32* outside and they are out walking around eating. you'd think it was spring time..