Feeding a chicken and duck mixed flock their different foods... How?!

[aemzed]

Howdy folks.

I'm a BYC long time stalker, but I've got a question...

I'm I've kept chickens before, however I am starting a new flock and will be keeping Indian Runner Ducks as well as some Barnevelder Chooks and Plymouth Rock Chooks.

The chickens and the ducks will have separate sleeping houses, but will share a common area. I noticed that the ducks and chickens have different 'grower' food.

SO!

Does anyone have any tips on how to feed them so that they will eat their own specific food? Say, perhaps put the chicken food atop something the ducks can't reach? Will the chickens then just eat the duck's food?

When they are all over eating the 'grower' food, can they eat the same thing?

Thanks!

-Atalya

 

[Sally Sunshine]

my question too!! let me see if I can get some help... in a thread with some good knowledgeables.... brb

 

[HEChicken]

I have a mixed flock of chickens, ducks and turkeys. The turkeys spend their nights in a dog pen just for them, and I have a feeder with 28% protein gamebird feed in there for them. However as they are out with the "general population" during the day, they can only eat their gamebird feed first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

The rest of the day, and for the chickens and ducks, I feed an All Flock formula. It is made by Nutrena and is designed for mixed flocks of poultry. I also have young chicks a lot of the time, so this works for them too.

Then I have a bowl of oyster shell on the side for the layers. They take what they need and my egg shells seem hard enough.

This system seems to be working.

 

[featherfooted]

I've raised chicks and ducks together and fed them Flock Raiser by Purina. It's made for mixed flocks and all mine have been on it from hatch to about 18 weeks when they switch to layer pellets. Never had a problem using it.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I have a mixed flock of chickens, ducks and turkeys. The turkeys spend their nights in a dog pen just for them, and I have a feeder with 28% protein gamebird feed in there for them. However as they are out with the "general population" during the day, they can only eat their gamebird feed first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

The rest of the day, and for the chickens and ducks, I feed an All Flock formula. It is made by Nutrena and is designed for mixed flocks of poultry. I also have young chicks a lot of the time, so this works for them too.

Then I have a bowl of oyster shell on the side for the layers. They take what they need and my egg shells seem hard enough.

This system seems to be working.

HeChicken, what about in the same brooding area? should they be kept separate until older?

 

[HEChicken]

I integrate my chicks fairly young. Right now I have chicks in a nursery area of the coop at night, spending their days in a 6x8 chick pen. Those chicks are 3 weeks old and I'm still feeding them medicated starter. I also have chicks who are 7 1/2 weeks old and have been fully integrated with the flock for about a week. They eat the All Flock pellets along with the older birds, turkeys and ducks.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote:

I've raised chicks and ducks together and fed them Flock Raiser by Purina. It's made for mixed flocks and all mine have been on it from hatch to about 18 weeks when they switch to layer pellets. Never had a problem using it.

Thanks, one other issue with duckling in the same brooder, they need water to swim?? the chicks will drown no? I will check out the dif from starter to flock raiser

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
Thanks, one other issue with duckling in the same brooder, they need water to swim?? the chicks will drown no? I will check out the dif from starter to flock raiser

They don't NEED to swim - they LOVE to swim. They do need access to water that is deep enough to get their whole bill in as that is vital to their well being, to be able to clear out their nostrils.

I brooded my muscovy ducklings with guineas, and each morning I would fill the bathtub with a few inches of water, and take the ducklings into the bathroom to have a little swim, then return them to the brooder afterward. That way I didn't have to worry about the guineas drowning in a deep water bowl. The rest of the time the ducklings drank their water from a regular chick waterer.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Thanks, one other issue with duckling in the same brooder, they need water to swim?? the chicks will drown no? I will check out the dif from starter to flock raiser

Ducklings don't need water to swim BUT they make a big mess in there brooder when they drink (even out of a chick waterer) for that reason I keep chicks and ducklings separated.

When the young are old enough to eat a pelleted feed you may want to look and see if any of the mill or feed stores in your area carries Buckeye Nutrition "Big 4".
Buckeye has been making the Big 4 feed for ever and is what I believe Purina is trying to copy with there "Flock Raiser". I will also add the Buckeye uses animal proteins and fat in all there poultry feed and that is a big plus.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein, min. 20.00%
Lysine, min. 1.10%
Methionine, min 0.39%
Crude Fat, min. 3.50%
Crude Fiber, max. 4.00%
Calcium, min. 0.70%
Calcium, max. 1.20%
Phosphorus, min. 0.65%
Salt, min. 0.10%
Salt, max. 0.60%

INGREDIENTS
Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Wheat Middlings, Porcine Meat Meal,
Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Lysine, DL-Methionine,
Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Phosphate, Salt, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate,
Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3
Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K
Activity), Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Pyridoxine
Hydrochloride, Choline Chloride, d-Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic
Acid, Dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Brewers Dried Yeast.
​

Chris

 

[Going Quackers]

While my chickens and ducks are NOT housed together per-say(the chickens are penned within the ducks paddock) i buy a flock raiser that keeps things real simple.