Flock raiser for ducklings?

[TheCookyChickenLady]

Hi! I have 3 almost 3 week old ducklings and I have been feeding them flock raiser. My question is, should I add oats or something else to lower the protein? They are blue Swedish, Cayuga, and welsh harlequin if that makes any difference. I haven’t seen any angel wing and they are all seeming very healthy but I don’t want to cause anything. If I should add oats how much should I add? I have seen multiple different ratios. Thanks!

 

[TheCookyChickenLady]

Here is a picture of them when I took them for some outside time yesterday!

 

[Weeg]

@Isaac 0 will have some good advice for you! They are so cute!

 

[TheCookyChickenLady]

@Isaac 0 will have some good advice for you! They are so cute!

Thanks!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Nope. Stick with the Flock Raiser. I'm assuming you are using the Purina, Nutrena, or one of the other big name brands, and if you look on the bag, it will say either 18% to 20% protein. That's not so much as to cause problems for ducks. Ostensibly, the Flock Raiser has extra niacin, besides, which is the usual "go to" if angel wing starts to suggest itself in your flock.

Now, if you were for some reason using a game bird grower at 24 to 28% protein, I'd suggest you do something different - but my whole flock has lived its entire life (almost - a few weeks I couldn't get what I wanted due to shortages) on 20% protein feed.

Oh, and of course don't feed them bread scraps or other high carb foods from the kitchen. I've read of wild bird populations with documented angel's wing due to the number of people throwing white bread "treats" for them - which may actually be worse for them than a high protein diet from commercial chicken feed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Follow up - and as you are already concerned for the amount of protein you offer your birds, you won't make this mistake, but... ..if anyone else finds the thread later and isn't as well read, reminder that if you are already giving your duck 18, 19, 20% protein feed, you must be very careful about the addition of high protein treats (which I don't recommend at all), particularly in the first months of life.

 

[TheCookyChickenLady]

Nope. Stick with the Flock Raiser. I'm assuming you are using the Purina, Nutrena, or one of the other big name brands, and if you look on the bag, it will say either 18% to 20% protein. That's not so much as to cause problems for ducks. Ostensibly, the Flock Raiser has extra niacin, besides, which is the usual "go to" if angel wing starts to suggest itself in your flock.

Now, if you were for some reason using a game bird grower at 24 to 28% protein, I'd suggest you do something different - but my whole flock has lived its entire life (almost - a few weeks I couldn't get what I wanted due to shortages) on 20% protein feed.

Oh, and of course don't feed them bread scraps or other high carb foods from the kitchen. I've read of wild bird populations with documented angel's wing due to the number of people throwing white bread "treats" for them - which may actually be worse for them than a high protein diet from commercial chicken feed.

Thanks for the response!They are on the Purina flock raiser, sorry I forgot to mention that in the original post! It has 20% protein so I’ll stick with that!

 

[SebrightMix]

Yep I would stick with the flock raiser too. It would be good with that extra niacin especially with waterfowl.

 

[TheCookyChickenLady]

Yep I would stick with the flock raiser too. It would be good with that extra niacin especially with waterfowl.

Thanks! That’s what I’ll do!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Happy to help, and hopes your ducks continue to bring joy. I've more eggs in the incubator now, hoping for hens - too many drakes already, just waiting on freezer space.