Food diet for Ducks

[Deni4]

Hello! Anyone recommend a diet for ducks to consume a healthy nutrition during these past cold weather days? It is usually around 90-100 F where i live but lately it is around 40-50 F. My ducks daily food is dried up corn and seeds, but would love for them to get calories for warmth right now. Sometimes i give them lettuce and watermelon too!

 

[Jenbirdee]

Do they also free range for insects?
Do you have animal feed stores in your area?

I actually get my duck feed online from chewy it’s delivered by auto ship. For my Ducks, I get two things-
. Kalmbach duck and goose feed pellets,
. Mazuri Waterfowl maintenance

I also buy bags of
. Crushed oyster shell
to leave some out in a dish on the side so my females get enough calcium they take what they need and the boys leave it alone.

For treats (10% of diet)
. Thawed out frozen peas
. Chopped lettuce or other green (but avoid spinach, and give kale in very small amounts)
. Mealworms or SoldierFly Larvae
. Watermelon

Ducks need niacin more than other poultry, and the corn and seeds you are feeding likely does not have enough for them. It would be much better to get an actual duck feed or an all flock feed. I get pellet form for the ducks instead of crushed.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Anyone recommend a diet for ducks to consume a healthy nutrition during these past cold weather days?

What breed are your ducks?

It is usually around 90-100 F where i live but lately it is around 40-50 F.

It is not what I would call "cold"...?

Will the temperatures get colder where you live?
What is the coldest you could get...?

My ducks daily food is dried up corn and seeds, but would love for them to get calories for warmth right now.

What percentage of corn are you feeding them, exactly?

Too much corn can get them overweight, and even actually kill them...!

Sometimes i give them lettuce and watermelon too!

Do they have access to grass during the days?

► All year round - even in Winter : my ducks are fed a mix of wheat and duck pellets, with an unlimited access to oyster shell grit in indivual feeders.

They don't need anything more, especially since they do have access to grass (and insects!) during the days, and are cold-hardy breeds anyway...

Still, sometimes, I also mix herbs with their food, plant-based pellets, or food grade Diatomaceous Earth.
Not that they actually need it... but I do that as a preventive measure.

• As treats, I give them boiled eggs when I have too much, given it is good for their health.

I tried giving them bananas several times, but most of my ducks don't like them...
(But they do like apples : they steal them from my chickens!)

 

[Deni4]

Do they also free range for insects?
Do you have animal feed stores in your area?

I actually get my duck feed online from chewy it’s delivered by auto ship. For my Ducks, I get two things-
. Kalmbach duck and goose feed pellets,
. Mazuri Waterfowl maintenance

I also buy bags of
. Crushed oyster shell
to leave some out in a dish on the side so my females get enough calcium they take what they need and the boys leave it alone.

For treats (10% of diet)
. Thawed out frozen peas
. Chopped lettuce or other green (but avoid spinach, and give kale in very small amounts)
. Mealworms or SoldierFly Larvae
. Watermelon

Ducks need niacin more than other poultry, and the corn and seeds you are feeding likely does not have enough for them. It would be much better to get an actual duck feed or an all flock feed. I get pellet form for the ducks instead of crushed.

the backyard is quite big, and they do tend to get some insects. Not a lot thought..It got me worried that it wasn’t sufficient for them especially right now that all the insects are not coming above the soil with the drastic weather change for us used to the burning heat
THANKKK YOUUU SO MUCH for the online recommendation! My two ducks are male, does that mean they will eat less? Again, thank you for the list of options!!!

 

[Deni4]

What breed are your ducks?

Hello! one is an American pekin duck and the other one is a mallard duck. Both are male!

 

[Deni4]

It is not what I would call "cold"...?

It’s rlly not but my ducks are used to the hot weather

 

[Deni4]

What percentage of corn are you feeding them, exactly?

Too much corn can get them overweight, and even actually kill them...!

it’s been five years and they have been healthy, they do a lot of walking too. I give them corn in you know those bowls of dogs, they are like three inches wide and two inches depth. Three times per day.

 

[Deni4]

it’s been five years and they have been healthy, they do a lot of walking too. I give them corn in you know those bowls of dogs,they are like three inches wide and two inches depth. Three times per

Hi.



What breed are your ducks?



It is not what I would call "cold"...?

Will the temperatures get colder where you live?
What is the coldest you could get...?



What percentage of corn are you feeding them, exactly?

Too much corn can get them overweight, and even actually kill them...!



Do they have access to grass during the days?

► All year round - even in Winter : my ducks are fed a mix of wheat and duck pellets, with an unlimited access to oyster shell grit in indivual feeders.

They don't need anything more, especially since they do have access to grass (and insects!) during the days, and are cold-hardy breeds anyway...

Still, sometimes, I also mix herbs with their food, plant-based pellets, or food grade Diatomaceous Earth.
Not that they actually need it... but I do that as a preventive measure.

• As treats, I give them boiled eggs when I have too much, given it is good for their health.

I tried giving them bananas several times, but most of my ducks don't like them...
(But they do like apples : they steal them from my chickens!)

Yes they have access to lots of grass!! Thank you for the recommendation, I appreciate it! mine too, they don’t seem to like bananas. Raised quite the picky babiesI love them so much though I’ll vary their food from now on, thanks!