Feeding oatmeal to ducks?

[JoyAnna]

My three Ancona ducks live off of Scratch & Peck organic/GMO-free feed, vegetable treats, and free range in the yard. I have managed to accumulate quite a bit of human rolled oats and wonder if this can be added to their regular feed. I will never eat this much myself, so thought it might work as an extender for their feed (which is getting more and more expensive).

Also, I have been getting the layer, higher-protein (20%) but now that I have added the drake for the two girls, wonder if I should change this. They have a side dish of oyster shell along with digging all over the yard. They are laying good strong eggs, but seem to be molting now. I adopted them out of terrible conditions just before they started laying. One of the girls has never had good feathers. I thought her feathers would have improved by now, but she still looks so ragged. They are all happy and vigorous.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My three Ancona ducks live off of Scratch & Peck organic/GMO-free feed, vegetable treats, and free range in the yard. I have managed to accumulate quite a bit of human rolled oats and wonder if this can be added to their regular feed. I will never eat this much myself, so thought it might work as an extender for their feed (which is getting more and more expensive).

Also, I have been getting the layer, higher-protein (20%) but now that I have added the drake for the two girls, wonder if I should change this. They have a side dish of oyster shell along with digging all over the yard. They are laying good strong eggs, but seem to be molting now. I adopted them out of terrible conditions just before they started laying. One of the girls has never had good feathers. I thought her feathers would have improved by now, but she still looks so ragged. They are all happy and vigorous.

I feed whole oats so I don't see any difference in feeding either one, I mix 50lbs of whole oats with 50lbs of Flock raiser and 50 lbs of 7wayscratch.Maybe once she has a full blown molt her feathers will come in nice and pretty. I feed an all flock feed since I have 4 drakes 1 gander and 2 roos, and just put out oyster shell for the layers.

 

[Speceider]

I am not certain why everyone seems to worry about protein % because they take a feed with known % and then try to mix their own....changes protein %, but also changes amino acid ratios (which are more important then total protein), and the Apparent Metabolizable Energy of the diet which affects how much they eat, and how much protein they get.

Clint

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am not certain why everyone seems to worry about protein % because they take a feed with known % and then try to mix their own....changes protein %, but also changes amino acid ratios (which are more important then total protein), and the Apparent Metabolizable Energy of the diet which affects how much they eat, and how much protein they get.

Clint

I don't feed other grains to lower protein I do it to keep my feed bill down a notch and still provide a wholesome diet.

 

[JoyAnna]

I don't feed other grains to lower protein I do it to keep my feed bill down a notch and still provide a wholesome diet.

That's my point also. I'm not trying to change the nutritional content. I am so pleased to have a local mill using local, organic, grains, but it is expensive and I have the extra oat meal. Just wanted to be sure they would be okay with adding a bit of the oats in with the good stuff. The two girls are giving me two eggs almost every day, and the drake is a most polite fellow who takes his job caring for them seriously. These are definitely not breeding stock (at least the girls), but I want them to be healthy. I hope that I can get set up by next spring to get some top breeding Anconas.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's my point also. I'm not trying to change the nutritional content. I am so pleased to have a local mill using local, organic, grains, but it is expensive and I have the extra oat meal. Just wanted to be sure they would be okay with adding a bit of the oats in with the good stuff. The two girls are giving me two eggs almost every day, and the drake is a most polite fellow who takes his job caring for them seriously. These are definitely not breeding stock (at least the girls), but I want them to be healthy. I hope that I can get set up by next spring to get some top breeding Anconas.

Very sweet of you to take these girls in though. and to bring in a drake for protection and company.

 

[Speceider]

How are you not changing the nutrient content? Most commercial feeds are formulated for a little less than 3000kcal/ kg and all the nutrients are balanced to make sure they receive adequate nutrition on that diet....oats are 2550 kcal/kg.....you are diluting the metabolizable energy and changing the nutrient content and ratios which are more important than total amounts. Oats (whole) are 11% protein....that doesn't change the nutrient composition of the diet? Crude fiber goes way up....I don't know how that is not changing the diet. You maybe trying to save money (don't we all want to), but they still need a balanced diet.

Clint

 

[Going Quackers]

Storey's guide to ducks has excellent info on adding grains and so forth to the diet. It's a very common practice along side with complete feeds.

 

[Speceider]

I have Storey's guide.....certainly not something I would base nutritional decisions on...Try Scott and Dean. Nutrition and Management of Ducks. Or Cherry and Morris. Domestic duck production: Science and practice. or Saxena. Poultry feed technology. Might shed some light on the deficiencies in Storey.

Clint
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[HollyDuckFarmer]

Thank you Clint for the book reccomendations, I always value what you have to write. I know that you know your stuff! Will look into those titles.