Feeding oatmeal to ducks?

[CelticOaksFarm]

I have the nutrition and management book. It has been a good source in combination with UK publications on waterfowl. Its how we have come up with what we feed. We also have a scale to measure with.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well, i do know there are a thousand and one way to feed ducks(not to mention just about every other form of livestock) that said you have to find what works best for your flock, many opinions out there as there are methods, so many variables too.

Research is good, but definitely over time you find what works best for you and your birds and adjust accordingly.

 

[Peeko]

Considering there was just another poultry feed recall (this time for elevated levels of calcium; the sixth recall of poultry feed so far this year), I think it's great that folks are looking to supplement and/or replace commercial feed.

Most of that stuff is designed for feed lot animals to fatten them up fast for slaughter, not for pets. Commercial feed is usually just corn, soy, and a bunch of supplements derived from petroleum or other non-food sources that aren't digestible anyway. It's a total scam, and the reason why so many of our feed animals are doped up on antibiotics to survive malnutrition. There are a lot of "natural" fakes out there, too.

We make our own duck food and provide a wide variety of fresh foods. The ducks also free range, eating what they want depending on the time of year. Our ducks can fly, so I imagine they'd have take off by now if they weren't getting what they need.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Considering there was just another poultry feed recall (this time for elevated levels of calcium; the sixth recall of poultry feed so far this year), I think it's great that folks are looking to supplement and/or replace commercial feed.

Most of that stuff is designed for feed lot animals to fatten them up fast for slaughter, not for pets. Commercial feed is usually just corn, soy, and a bunch of supplements derived from petroleum or other non-food sources that aren't digestible anyway. It's a total scam, and the reason why so many of our feed animals are doped up on antibiotics to survive malnutrition. There are a lot of "natural" fakes out there, too.

We make our own duck food and provide a wide variety of fresh foods. The ducks also free range, eating what they want depending on the time of year. Our ducks can fly, so I imagine they'd have take off by now if they weren't getting what they need.

Can you share with us what you use to make a balanced duck food? and the link won't work.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've been reading about using whole oats in feeding my flock which is ducks/geese/chickens and I found this which is very interesting if anyone wants some good reading.. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/692659/whole-oats-as-chicken-feed

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I added whole oats to my FF, my flock loved it. I planted about 1/2A, I grew about 3 plants total, so that yield was about 3 handfuls. LOL I think I planted wrong, should have went for a 2nd till. Thanks for link ML That link is great, it provides comparison of Quaker Oats vs Whole Oats, written by Celtic, I believe. Plus there are more links to follow there for more info from .edu sites. Thanks again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I added whole oats to my FF, my flock loved it. I planted about 1/2A, I grew about 3 plants total, so that yield was about 3 handfuls. LOL I think I planted wrong, should have went for a 2nd till. Thanks for link ML

I tried growing oats too HDF but it was a no go here, so at 11.00 a 50lb bag I just buy them. and I mix them in my ff too. I would really like to have access to wheat in bulk and other grains but can't get them here and shipping keeps me from ordering on line.

 

[Speceider]

Considering there was just another poultry feed recall (this time for elevated levels of calcium; the sixth recall of poultry feed so far this year), I think it's great that folks are looking to supplement and/or replace commercial feed.

Most of that stuff is designed for feed lot animals to fatten them up fast for slaughter, not for pets. Commercial feed is usually just corn, soy, and a bunch of supplements derived from petroleum or other non-food sources that aren't digestible anyway. It's a total scam, and the reason why so many of our feed animals are doped up on antibiotics to survive malnutrition. There are a lot of "natural" fakes out there, too.

We make our own duck food and provide a wide variety of fresh foods. The ducks also free range, eating what they want depending on the time of year. Our ducks can fly, so I imagine they'd have take off by now if they weren't getting what they need.

There are a lot of errors in this.....commercial feeds usually have corn and soy as a bas e to provide the base energy content, and the supplements are to balance the amino acis and mineral rations....last I knew, manganese and amino acids were not petroleum based non-food resources that aren't digestible. I also would like to know what feeds regularly include antibiotics....it makes feed much more expensive....non of the feeds I use list antibiotics in the ingredients....


You make you own food, good for you....hope you have done the research to provide a balanced diet. Fortunately, domestic ducks are VERY forgiving to mismanagement. Wonder how many fewer "problems", like weak legs, egg-binding, and many other ailments that are listed daily.....quite possibly from people reading posts that suggest they can feed sub-quality foods to save money.

Clint

 

[Miss Lydia]

There are a lot of errors in this.....commercial feeds usually have corn and soy as a bas e to provide the base energy content, and the supplements are to balance the amino acis and mineral rations....last I knew, manganese and amino acids were not petroleum based non-food resources that aren't digestible. I also would like to know what feeds regularly include antibiotics....it makes feed much more expensive....non of the feeds I use list antibiotics in the ingredients....


You make you own food, good for you....hope you have done the research to provide a balanced diet. Fortunately, domestic ducks are VERY forgiving to mismanagement. Wonder how many fewer "problems", like weak legs, egg-binding, and many other ailments that are listed daily.....quite possibly from people reading posts that suggest they can feed sub-quality foods to save money.

Clint

Do you mind sharing which feed/feeds you use and do you think since we are adding other grains like whole oats and myself 7way scratch grains to my Flock raiser that I am hurting my flocks health? I am not scientist but really would like to be sure I am feeding a balanced diet. Would you comment on post 12 of the link I gave, thanks

 

[Speceider]

Do you mind sharing which feed/feeds you use and do you think since we are adding other grains like whole oats and myself 7way scratch grains to my Flock raiser that I am hurting my flocks health? I am not scientist but really would like to be sure I am feeding a balanced diet. Would you comment on post 12 of the link I gave, thanks

Funny, it's post 15, not 12, and I have read all 4 pages before, and the people who posted that I trust, said oi feed formulated feed. I just feed All Flock which is an 18% feed. The mergansers will get some catfish feed during breeding, but that's it. A handful of scratch, minnows, crickets, etc occasionally for environmental enrichment, but that's it. I would like to feed Mazuri....it's the best feed on the market, and the only one which will give a COMPLETE nutrient analysis (AME/KG, amino acids, taurine, etc.), but it is about 4X All-flock because I would have to have it shipped in.

Want a balanced diet.....know the nutrient requirements of ducks....know what the composition of the feed you are using is.....know how you are changing the diet when you add something.....There are plenty of computer programs for feed formulation, unfortunately they tend to be expensive.

Just a note, all the time there are posts of leg weakness.....the immediate answer always given is more niacin.....no one mentions that the diet may be in-balanced with regards to Vit E and Selenium which has been related to white muscle disease, or capture myopathy. My an unknown mechanism, the in-balance makes an animal susceptible to tissue death when the bird is stressed. Causes a spike in several enzymes signifying tissue break down, and streak of dead muscle tissue, often in the heart and legs. Yes, I have lost birds to CM, and have published a case study on it.

Clint