FEED? all in one ?

[wildpeas]

Yes I think they would be ok, just make sure to make any diet changes gradually.

I added layena to the flockraiser when I started to get eggs. The geese get more flockraiser than layena because they don't like the layena very much. The ducks get about half and half. I do this because I have read conflicting things about the effects of a layer feed on the health of waterfowl and I like to be safe than potentially sorry. When the geese stop laying then they stop getting the layena added in. My ducks seem to lay year round. I think I will feed the chickens the same as the ducks. Everyone has oyster shell available year round.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

Yes I think they would be ok, just make sure to make any diet changes gradually.

I added layena to the flockraiser when I started to get eggs. The geese get more flockraiser than layena because they don't like the layena very much. The ducks get about half and half. I do this because I have read conflicting things about the effects of a layer feed on the health of waterfowl and I like to be safe than potentially sorry. When the geese stop laying then they stop getting the layena added in. My ducks seem to lay year round. I think I will feed the chickens the same as the ducks. Everyone has oyster shell available year round.

thats what i heard too - and that feeding it too early in waterfowl is hurtful to them w the calcium . ok thats what ill do to . thank you so much! my hens and ducks are going to be housed together so thats why id like them to be on the same feed - so as not to worry if one gets into anothers food >_<

O and one more question . at night can i take away food and water as ducklings ? i know i can when they are older right ? ... im not talikng about the Nare dunk jug - but the other waterer. i read somewhere on here that ppl do that sometimes...- this is my first time w ducks

 

[wildpeas]

I take away the overnight food at 4 weeks of age but they always have water around the clock as ducklings. My adults also have water buckets in their houses at night.

 

[Apyl]

i think thats what im going to do .my chicks will be 4 weeks when my ducklings get here . they should be ok on FR right ? then when they start laying i switch all of them to layer feed ?

My chicks get fed flock raiser from day 1 just like the ducks.


As for the water quesitons : I do not give water to my adults or water for dunking their faces at night. When I open the coop then they get water ( or snow) outside only. Never in the coop. As for when they are babies I supply a waterer at all times no face dunking water. I give them sink time a couple times a day.

 

[earltheman]

For those of you using Flockraiser for your adult ducks, have you ever had a problem with them getting too much protein? On their website, Metzer Farms says that ducks over 3 weeks old need only 17.5%, but the flockraiser crumbles has 20% protein. My ducks are 4 weeks old, so I have been "cutting" the flockraiser with scratch, to get the protein content to exactly 17.5%. Should I even be bothering to add the scratch?

 

[Going Quackers]

For those of you using Flockraiser for your adult ducks, have you ever had a problem with them getting too much protein? On their website, Metzer Farms says that ducks over 3 weeks old need only 17.5%, but the flockraiser crumbles has 20% protein. My ducks are 4 weeks old, so I have been "cutting" the flockraiser with scratch, to get the protein content to exactly 17.5%. Should I even be bothering to add the scratch?

That's interesting, my flock raiser is only 18%. I'll have to let others chime in who use that level of protein.

 

[Apyl]

For those of you using Flockraiser for your adult ducks, have you ever had a problem with them getting too much protein? On their website, Metzer Farms says that ducks over 3 weeks old need only 17.5%, but the flockraiser crumbles has 20% protein. My ducks are 4 weeks old, so I have been "cutting" the flockraiser with scratch, to get the protein content to exactly 17.5%. Should I even be bothering to add the scratch?

I dont use flock raiser for adult ducks, I switch to layer feed.I do feed flock raiser until 18 weeks or so. As for the scratch, thats a treat not nutrition.

 

[wildpeas]

For those of you using Flockraiser for your adult ducks, have you ever had a problem with them getting too much protein? On their website, Metzer Farms says that ducks over 3 weeks old need only 17.5%, but the flockraiser crumbles has 20% protein. My ducks are 4 weeks old, so I have been "cutting" the flockraiser with scratch, to get the protein content to exactly 17.5%. Should I even be bothering to add the scratch?

My adults are just a year old and I have not noticed any problems with the higher protein. My ducks gets 2 cups flockraiser and 2 cups layena everyday mixed together. Sometimes they eat it all and sometimes they don't. My ducks are extremely active and spend the majority of their time foraging. When my ducklings were still in the brooder I supplemented them with romaine lettuce and peas. My new ducklings are showing a fondness for rolled oats so they get a little bit twice a day. I do not know what the dangers are of too much protein, it's not something I worry about.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My adults are just a year old and I have not noticed any problems with the higher protein. My ducks gets 2 cups flockraiser and 2 cups layena everyday mixed together. Sometimes they eat it all and sometimes they don't. My ducks are extremely active and spend the majority of their time foraging. When my ducklings were still in the brooder I supplemented them with romaine lettuce and peas. My new ducklings are showing a fondness for rolled oats so they get a little bit twice a day. I do not know what the dangers are of too much protein, it's not something I worry about.

And that maybe the difference here, ducks being able to forage when young compared to those being raised solely in brooder with not much outside time. I have used FR for almost 9yrs [June] and haven't ever had a problem But my ducklings/gosling and chicks are on the ground by day 3, since I use mamas to hatch. They are out their showing babies what is best to eat. Even the lil duckling we had to raise ourselves was outside same as the other ducklings. I do think it makes a difference.

 

[BarredRockGirls]

hmmm as a newbie to ducks all your reponses are very useful to me ...thank you all . i was at the feed store today and decided that..... They didnt know feed from a hole in the ground it was so irritating! they just didnt GET IT. i have meat/LAYER chicks ( 3.5 weeks old) and Pekin ducklings coming ( idk what age they come) - also layers... id LIKE them to be on the same feed.
ugggh then when they did finally understand me o well we have "big 4 pellets ... or all flock pullet pellets ..but those arent for chicks"

needless to say i went somewhere else and found purina FR

my chicks are eating 3+ lbs a day of feed ( 15 Barred rocks) so this is about to be expensive w all of them on it . but like some of you said im going to start gradually introducing them into the FR and mixing some into the chick starter/grower and ill just have my ducks on FR from the start.

then at 16 weeks? start mixing it w layer feed right ? and provide Oyster shell for egg hardiness. now my chicks get soil or sand as grit .. does that work for ducks too ?