Feed for ducklings (poll)

[Ducks and Banny hens]

day olds on up to 8 weeks.???? Do they all survive?

It has worked for 6,000 years in the wild, so I figured it would work for me. To tell you the truth though, I really don't know what all they eat. I just know that they find it. Dandelions and clovers are plants that I've seen them eating, but the probably eat other things.
And it's day-old until winter... I feed them corn over the winter until the greenery re-appears.
And yes, they all survive. All casualties are un-related to nutrition; if they die, they die from predation, epidemic, hardware disease, but not malnurishment. Mama will find everything they need to eat, and teach it to them, and they'll grow up and find it themselves.

 

[jdywntr]

I'm going to use Flockraiser when I get rouens in a few weeks. I have previously used TSC non-medicated crumbles and Purina chick starter.

 

[Hattiegun]

Quote:
oh well mine are not wild, they are domesticated , and mine are pets, and pets are usually somewhat spoiled is all. It sounds like you really dont care..is all....

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

oh well mine are not wild, they are domesticated , and mine are pets, and pets are usually somewhat spoiled is all. It sounds like you really dont care..is all....

If I didn't care, why do you think I raise and keep my birds like I do?

I do take precautions against predation and hardware disease...

 

[StevenW.]

Day Old - 6 weeks: Medicated Chick Starter
7 weeks - Adults: Nutrena All Flock

I've never had a problem with angel wing. The only time I had a duck get angel wing was when I gave them UN-medicated chick starter. This is the way I've done it and everyone has their own way.

 

[AliciaM]

I think if there was plenty of room and a variety of plants offered for them to choose from to get the different nutrients they need, domestic ducks could probably be ok on freerange exclusively... BUT... most domestic ducks are spoiled.. even if they are not raised as pets.. There instincts arent there to look for the proper feed that will sustain them..

I feed my ducklings a non medicated chick starter..

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I think if there was plenty of room and a variety of plants offered for them to choose from to get the different nutrients they need, domestic ducks could probably be ok on freerange exclusively...

Can you say 100 acres of clover, cattails, dandelions, grass, trilliums, orpine, bee balm, and strawberries? (all of these things are potential menu items for the ducks... I'll have to observe them more this coming spring)

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Can you say 100 acres of clover, cattails, dandelions, grass, trilliums, orpine, bee balm, and strawberries? (all of these things are potential menu items for the ducks... I'll have to observe them more this coming spring)

And, not to come off sounding harsh, but they do better than you could possibly imagine.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I feed mine Purina Flock Raiser, and finely-chopped endive. Niacin in the water, too.

 

[StevenW.]

Can you say 100 acres of clover, cattails, dandelions, grass, trilliums, orpine, bee balm, and strawberries? (all of these things are potential menu items for the ducks... I'll have to observe them more this coming spring)

But what do you feed them in the winter/fall when there's hardly anything for them to eat?
We raise a ton of flowers each year and the one thing we do not keep by the birds is Bee Balm because it was toxic to my birds. We still raise Bee Balm because we love the smell and the native bugs and wild birds love Bee Balm! )