food mess

[karbear]

I love my ducks who are now almost 6 months. I am okay with the cleaning their pool, fresh drinking water, changing their bedding and even hosing off the back entrance to the house from all the duck poo they deposit as they wait by the door when they want in. The thing that bothers me is all the waste of the food at the bottom of their drinking water. There is always a nice goo at at the bottom. And cleaning it out leaves the goo on the ground and can get smelling. Am I feeding the wrong thing? Feeding them to much? Any suggestions? Also do you feed corn scratch for a treat? What percent protein? I am going to the feed store this week and am compiling a list. Thanks

 

[duckyfromoz]

How close is the feed and water to each other? I find that if I feed them away from the water- it doesnt end up so messy, but with ducks there is always going to be wastage and mess in the water. When I feed mine in the afternoon they get a little pellets- but mostly fruit and vegetables. I sit with them at the house end of the yard and the water is at the other end- usually in my water dishes I find more mud and grass than feed that they have filtered from their mouths.

The feed I buy for my ducks is 15% protein- but they have extras offered each afternoon in the way of extra grains- fruit and vegetables and a few minutes in the worm garden after I turn a few shovels over. They also free range during daylight hours in the yard. Cleaning out the water containers more often may help to reduce the smell.

 

[gofasterstripe]

Are you using Crumble or Pellets. I had and have that problem with Crumble. I hate it with a passion. My babies are on crumble and I cant wait to be able to feeed them Pellets, no mess in the water with Pellets. At 6 months I would put them on Layer Pellets and you will find no mess and no smell. I find Crumbles has a sweet horrible smell mixed with water. Plus keep their water along way from their food. Out in the yard they have a good 50 foot trudge from food to water

 

[TLWR]

I've decided to try pellets with the next bag of food to see if we can have less mess with summer coming. I don't want any more flies than we already have (and they aren't here because of the ducks).

 

[gofasterstripe]

Yes I know what you mean, we have tones of flies too...and Its not just because of the animals. Pellets make less mess and smell