feeding ducks help please

[chickbird]

i just hatched some little mallards and they are not eating or drinking. i am giving them chick starter(medicated). how do i get them to start eating. i'm dipping their bills into the water at intervals.....and do ducks eat chick starter?

 

[chickschool]

STOP!!! Medicated chick starter will kill them.

 

[chickschool]

I am new to ducks as well and found that all my research about what to feed them lacked one very important fact...medicated chick food will kill them! That being said I am sorry to tell you that I don't know much about new hatchlings. I got mine in the mail (still feels weird to me) and they immediately ate and drank. I think it would be safe to assume that considering that chicks and ducklings... can be safely mailed due to the fact that they're still absorbing the yolk you need not worry for a day or two.

 

[DuckLover179]

Quote:
It won't kill them. There was a thread on it a little while ago, and they just changed the formula (Or something like that

), so it is fine for ducklings. No big deal.

Dipping their bills in water is great. For food, sprinkle peas on it, or some mashed banana. Good luck!

ETA: Here's a link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=482242

 

[chickschool]

Really? I had two feed stores tell me that medicated food was harmful. TSC and a local. I would really like to read up on this more if you have a link/email address. I have fond memories of my uncle raising mallards which he released on his lake (he even taught me how to quack) but I have no idea what he fed them. This is my first time raising duckings, just two, and I am already so in love!!!

 

[DuckLover179]

I put a link of it in my previous post, of you want more, let me know. I feed mine Purina Flock raiser. I feel it's okay to feed them medicated, but I recommend food meant for ducklings.

 

[chickschool]

Thank you. I didn't see the link. I am still so new to this forum and haven't gotten it figured out yet. Any help it much appreciated.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Get game bird starter crumbles. It contains the amount of niacin that the ducks need.

If they are still very young, you can try to get them in some SHALLOW luke warm water to see if they will play in it. Make sure you dry them off afterwards. Don't let them soak, just let them play for a couple minutes max.

 

[Amiga]

Just hatched, they still have some nutrients from their yolk, so I wouldn't panic for the first 36 hours or so - just make sure they have clean water, not too deep, for drinking.

For food, I agree that while medicated feed - depending on a number of factors - may not be the biggest concern, lack of niacin can be very serious.

I found turkey/waterfowl crumbles, and added ground up rolled (not instant) oats one part to five of crumbles, with a tiny sprinkle of chick grit.

Some people report that a smaller amount of food, moistened, is more interesting to ducklings. Just get uneaten moistened food out of the brooder within a day, to avoid mold, which is another serious problem.