Fat on my mallards neck?

Calea

In the Brooder
8 Years
May 25, 2011
45
1
32
Sorry..here is another feeding question about my baby mallard (Marshall
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) He is eating duck starter feed and things he finds in the lake. How long should I keep him on the starter feed? The bag says "from birth to slaughter"
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Obviously I do not plan on slaughtering him, so I am wondering if it will make him too fat to fly eventually? He's only a week and two days old but he looks like he has some "fat" kind of hanging from his neck...is this normal? He has access to this feed pretty much all the time, except at night. Should I ration his food or let him eat whenever he wants to? What would I switch him to (and when) if he is supposed to get off the starter feed eventually?
 
What you're calling "fat" is that he has just fed and has food in his esophagus. Unlike gallinaceous birds (chickens), ducks don't have crops. They have and expandable esophagus that stores food.

Clint
 
Thank you, Clint. So this is nothing for me to be concerned about? Sorry to sound like a dummy, but this is my first experience with baby duck rearing!
 
Thank you!! And Marshall thanks you...he really didn't want to go on a diet! lol
 
I also have 5 baby mallards - 4 days old. I noticed the same big pouch on their neck. The ducks peck at their pouch alot. They eat Purina Flock starter only. If ducks dont have crops do they need grit? If so is grit needed now with the crumble feed they have ? Is grit ,fine sand or parakeet gravel?.
Thanks
 
If ducks dont have crops do they need grit?


You're confusing the crop with the gizzard. Generally, on mash or pellets, grit isn't necessary, but is if they free-range or are fed seeds.

Clint
 
Quote:
My baby is nine days old and I'm trying not to think he is too fat. Please keep me updated as your babies grow to know if they still have it. I've never noticed it on any other ducklings that I have seen before, but I have never been this close for this long to one, so that could explain it. His is really big, though.
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