Feed... help plz

[688peterl]

Ok i know i need to start the ducks on duck starter crumbs after they are a day old then move them onto duck grower pellets but then what? i have seen duck grower/maintainance pellets, does this mean its just normal duck food? ie the food that the ducks will always eat? I do have lots of plants in my garden (but no grass) and my garden gets overrun with slugs (which i heard ducks like to eat) so is that it, the normal duck food is duck maintainance food? by the way they wont be getting just this, i will feed them whatever i can, any type of green veg that they like or anything like that, basically anything that is safe for them to eat they can eat, any suggestions?

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Without seeing what you are refering to, I would venture a guess that maintenance is normal duck food for adults. You may have to provide free choice oyster shells to bump up the calcium levels if you have laying hens.

 

[688peterl]

guys do ducks need grit? i have got whats supposed to be the best manual/book for keeping ducks but it isnt here yet! i know they either need unmedicated chicken starter crumbs or duck starter crumbs at first then unmedicated chicken grower pellets or duck pellets then unmedicated chicken feed or duck food BUT... do they need grit?

 

[688peterl]

I just found out that the maintainance pellets i was talkin about are proper duck food (ie the everyday feed), i also found out that females should be put on a layer diet after 14 weeks, but like i said im not fussed about the eggs i wont be eating them or using them for anything else so does it matter? i guess what im asking is do the females NEED to be on a layer diet if the eggs she is laying are just gonna be thrown away?

 

[688peterl]

Quote:
here is what im talking about

http://www.gardencentre.co.uk/product.asp?id=12925&sr=gbase&ad=12925

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
Well, a hen will lay no matter what. If they can't get the calcium from their diet, then they may rob it from their bones, which isn't good.

Grit is used by the duck to grind up coarse food in the gizzard to the point that it can be digested easily. Just like our teeth. Pellets are really ground up grain compressed back together. If you add water to pellets and let it sit for a while you will see what I mean. In general, when in doubt give the duck grit, whether as free choice, or by allowing them to free range.

 

[688peterl]

Quote:
Well, a hen will lay no matter what. If they can't get the calcium from their diet, then they may rob it from their bones, which isn't good.

Grit is used by the duck to grind up coarse food in the gizzard to the point that it can be digested easily. Just like our teeth. Pellets are really ground up grain compressed back together. If you add water to pellets and let it sit for a while you will see what I mean. In general, when in doubt give the duck grit, whether as free choice, or by allowing them to free range.

yes so il have to find out which sex they are, im incubating 6 but only hatching 3 (il choose the "best" ones and dispose of the rest during the early stages of incubation), so it would be best if i had 3 drakes wouldnt it? because if i have mixed sex that will mean 2 different food types for each sex which is ok but how do i get the ducks to know which feed is theirs?

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
Well, you could try putting their name on separate bowls.

Or you can offer oyster shells as free choice.

 

[geosheets]

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[Smartie_Pants]

You don't need two different kinds of food for two different sexes, males can eat the same layer crumble that the ducks do.