Feed and Nutrition - help!

[member 569347]

Wow and they are all developing good too? That’s amazing!

They are doing well! When candled, you can see movement. Btw... correction: 2 dozen, not 5.

On a separate subject, we are planning to give the overage to a farm where we get fresh chicken eggs from. However, I just learned they used to have around 100 ducks and lost them to a pair of Bald Eagles that nest nearby. It makes me not want to give them to them knowing a potential fate. Your thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think I’d be looking for a better home. They are feeding the predators. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know when having that many or even as many as I do 34 it’s a gamble with predators but I try my best to keep mine safe and thank the Lord since 2004 haven’t lost any ducks to predators. I’ve have some chickens that went over the fence an didn’t return. That’s sad enough. It’s always a worry when you have poultry though they are at the top of the food chain with predators.

 

[member 569347]

I think I’d be looking for a better home. They are feeding the predators. Just my 2 cents.

I know when having that many or even as many as I do 34 it’s a gamble with predators but I try my best to keep mine safe and thank the Lord since 2004 haven’t lost any ducks to predators. I’ve have some chickens that went over the fence an didn’t return. That’s sad enough. It’s always a worry when you have poultry though they are at the top of the food chain with predators.

I worry about predators at my home near the city, let alone that farm. Here's my story if you care to follow.

 

[member 569347]

You mean you rescued 22 eggs that were going to be balut? @Kiki

Yes... I think... whatever you say! We bought eggs from a farm that sells them for food. We wanted no more than 5 ducks so he said we'd need 2 dozen to get that number because he doubted many would be fertilized. Turned out all but 2 were fertilized.

I thought I'd give you an update: Despite a couple of catastrophes, we have a final count of 15 ducklings that are now 3-5 days old. Along the way we happened to find one home who'd been researching and considering ducks for a couple years who will adopt 2. The rest that we don't keep will go to a 4-H farm.

We've honed in on feeding a bit. For the first few days we gave vitamin-fortified water as well as starter crumble adding nutritional yeast, eventually figuring out it needed to be moistened with water. As I re-introduced un-moistened feed, they continued to show preference for the moistened, so I eliminated the vitamin water with plain water (less guilt with the waste from cleaning) and began using vitamin water instead to moisten the food.

The question I have is - can I be OVER supplementing? Obviously, I don't want to cause any problems.