Feeding Duckweed to Layers

[patvetzal]

Around here, the "wild" ponds either have it, or they don't. If its there, it covers the water, blocks off sunlight and prevents algae growth with a resulting O2 drop that keeps the fish population down. People with "tame" ponds hate it.
I used to have it in aquariums but wouldn't think of adding it to my pond out back. Sounds like the chickens would like it however.....

 

[BJnMe]

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That is the biggest key, Duckweed hates water movement. It seems to stress the plant and they die. I may have to try growing it outside and see how it does.

 

[Akane]

Duckweed is wonderful at creating oxygen. A pond covered in duckweed is most definitely not lacking for oxygen. The algae dies because the duckweed uses up all the co2 and other nutrients before the algae can and fills the water with useful oxygen. It worked great to balance my filterless planted tanks. If I over fertilized or something happened the duckweed would get to the nutrients before the algae did and added all the oxygen the fish needed that was otherwise lacking since there were no filters and no surface movement in those tanks.

Duckweed does cause problems with water movement. It both dislikes it and it gets forced under the water and stuck to the intakes making a big mess. It's best suited to still areas or filterless setups.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Wow, how lucky you are to live in such a great place as Suriname!

I dont actually know what its like to live there, but I love the amphibian species from there.
My favorite is Ceratophrys cornuta, a horned frog.
I keep frogs that were wild caught from the rainforests in Suriname, I am trying to breed them for the pet trade so that in the future we do not need to take them from the wild.
As of yet, I cannot get a 3rd generation produced in captivity, but my partners and I are working on it.

Do you live in a place where you get to see and hear the frogs?

I would totally live in Suriname . . .

 

[Lumenos]

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That might explain why I find earthworms living underwater, under the duckweed.
Quote:
Did you read this somewhere or...? What I have read is that duckweed shades the area and this kills algae. It could not compete with algae when I had it in transparent containers. I figured that was because the light could get under the duckweed mat. I buried the containers and the duckweed took over.
Quote:
That is the biggest key, Duckweed hates water movement. It seems to stress the plant and they die. I may have to try growing it outside and see how it does.

Mmm it won't necessarily kill it. I see a lot of duckweed on the edges of a river near here.

 

[jamesbwood]

I always thought that the O2 that duckweed creates goes into the air, not into the water, as the surface of the leaves are in the air. And that their leaves often cover the surface of still waters further blocking gas exchange. The breakdown of dead decaying duckweed in the water would further lower O2 levels. . .

As for chickens, it sounds like a great food to try in moderation. I'm going to try it too.

 

[kayakfish]

Wow never knew this until I came across a fermenting chicken food here: http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/p/fermented-feed.html and they had it listed as a feed in the protein level of Dried fish flakes 76
Dried liver 76
Dried earthworms 76
Duckweed 50
Torula yeast 50
Brewers yeast 39
Soybeans (dry roasted) 37
Flaxseed 37
Alfalfa seed 35
Beef, lean 28
Earthworms 28
Fish 28
Wheat germ 25
Peas & Beans, dried 24.5
Sesame seed 19.3
Soybeans (boiled) 17
Sunflower seeds 17
Wheat bran 16.6
Oats, whole 14
Rice polish 12.8
Rye 12.5
Wheat 12.5
Barley 12.3
Oats 12
Corn 9
Millet 9
Milo 9
Rice, brown 7.5
I have a favorite pond I go to that is covered in this stuff, I am going to see if there is a way to dry it or store it for later usage, during the winter.

 

[tyjorg]

My chickens love duck weed. I have heard it is a good source of protein for them in the winter months. I have a small kiddie pool in the green house with aquarium heater to heat the water. Water temp around 70 degree is what I have found works the best. Throw 15 or 20 gold fish in there for fertilizer and my chickens get duckweed almost daily.

 

[Sunny Windsong]

My chickens love duck weed. I have heard it is a good source of protein for them in the winter months. I have a small kiddie pool in the green house with aquarium heater to heat the water. Water temp around 70 degree is what I have found works the best. Throw 15 or 20 gold fish in there for fertilizer and my chickens get duckweed almost daily. 

The guy at the pond supply store said if I wanted to add fish to my duckweed container that I'd need to also add an aerator or the fish would die. Did you?
Also, I plan on putting my duckweed in my greenhouse as well, but that water is going to get way warmer than a mere 70 degrees. Will the hotter water be bad for the fish if I decide to add some?

 

[DmCrawlz]

When we bought our home as a foreclosure in Central Florida, the pond was overrun with duckweed. When I was reading up on how to eradicate it without destroying the ecosystem of our pond, I learned how great the stuff is!! I used to fill wheelbarrows full of it and dump it in. These pictures are old, before we had the fence up. The girls loved it, and all the bugs and occasional fish I would scoop up with it! It was great for the soil, but it made their poop green and very runny and pretty gross. We have since been able to get the pond under control. Fortunately, there is a pond behind us on vacant property covered with the stuff!! I still give them a scoop every once in awhile from there as a treat, but as with everything, I believe moderation is key.


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