Feed questions

[veronicasmom]

I am going so crazy now with trying to get my father's issues taken care of that I don't have a lot of time to hunt around for info. I was hoping someone would help me out in figuring out exactly what I should be feeding my new girl. She is about 2-3 mos old (I was told). I feel the others regular duck pellets, not layer pellets, and offer ground oyster shells to the girls. They also get peas, of course, and salad with cabbage and any other greens I have on hand. Of course they eat grasses, bugs, etc at this time of year.
But not exactly sure what to feed the little one. At what age do I start with the calcium?
Any help is greatly appreciated and it allows me not to have to spend a lot of time hunting through info online.
Thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What kind of duck?
http://www.hgtvgardens.com/ducks-and-geese/raising-ducks-a-primer-on-duck-housing-diet-and-health

 

[veronicasmom]

A Runner something else cross (pics of her in my post "New Duck") They said either KC or Rouen. I am not good at figuring stuff like that out. But she is a very slender duck with definite runner tendencies (like she is LOUD).

 

[Amiga]

At two to three months, she should be fine with what you are offering the rest. Especially if she is part runner. Mine started laying - the first ducks to lay - at 16 weeks, so at 12 weeks starting to offer free choice oyster shell ought to be fine.

 

[veronicasmom]

Thanks Amiga, that is great!!

 

[apricotvalleywf]

It's not so much the age that you need to be concerned about when to give calcium, it is when they are producing eggs, you can stick them on a maintenance/holding ration when they are finished their moult but not laying. Most commercial layer feeds have a pretty good amount of calcium in them.