Feed

[Charlie Charlotte]

Hi! I am new to have a duck to joint my menagerie of animals and my duck will be one year old next month. She is a bit spoiled and ran into a bit of a problem. I had never changed her off the mazuri starter and they ran out where I get her feed and tried the maintenance, and now she is not eating. I’ve tried smashing it, since I thought maybe it was too big and dry for her but still not eating. Now I read reading and I reasearched that I should not giver baby feed to her because it has to much protein and it’s bad for her liver? Please help?! I know she must be hungry

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Pyxis?

I really don't think baby feed will hurt her ducks love protein and get it through bugs etc. So having a little extra in her feed probably won't hurt. My whole flock has eaten starter when we have chicks ducklings and goslings and haven't had any problem. Maybe try mixing it together and see how that goes. If your not comfortable feeding her the higher protein feed.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...You can try mixing the feed. I have Calls and feed a mix of Duck finisher, Old style scratch grain and oat and barley crumble.
If your Birds are eating other things daily like fresh forage and veggies the diet of the starter is diluted and should be fine...
Best wishes...

 

[Pyxis]

The starter won't hurt her to eat. To get her onto the maintenance, I would start mixing the two together, at first mostly starter but with maintenance mixed in, and then slowly increase the amount of maintenance until the starter is phased out completely.

 

[casportpony]

Hi! I am new to have a duck to joint my menagerie of animals and my duck will be one year old next month. She is a bit spoiled and ran into a bit of a problem. I had never changed her off the mazuri starter and they ran out where I get her feed and tried the maintenance, and now she is not eating. I’ve tried smashing it, since I thought maybe it was too big and dry for her but still not eating. Now I read reading and I reasearched that I should not giver baby feed to her because it has to much protein and it’s bad for her liver? Please help?! I know she must be hungry

Welcome to BYC! Your Mazuri duck starter is only 20% protein, so it's perfectly fine for her. Diets in excess of 30% protein can cause kidney problems, and diets with lots of grains can cause fatty liver disease. Has she started laying yet? when she does you should offer her oyster shell on the side.

 

[Charlie Charlotte]

Thank you all so much!! I was freaking out!! She held out for two days but I still went digging for worms with her. She finally started eating the maintenance though I don’t think she likes it very much poor spoiled baby. I went to the feed store again and they are still out unfortunately so she will have to make due with the maintenance. I didn’t think about oyster shells but she has started laying! She is so funny she likes to fake like she is laying in three different spots before she finally lays her egg. I think so we not find it. I bought her some feeder fish for a treat since she has been such a sport and started to eat food. I ordered an organic feed but she looked at it and that was it. I think it’s weird for her since it’s not in pellet form . I was trying to see what food would be best and probably start ordering directly that way I don’t take the chance of the feed store being out of stock. Thank you again everyone!!