Food per duck when they are supposed to be grazing

[seashoreduck]

For those of you who have free-range or near-free range ducks, how much do you feed them in dry food? My ducks are ducks and therefore always up for easy food. The more food I get, however, the more I have issues with bugs. I noticed that when they free range suddenly all ants are gone, less mosquitos, and no ticks...this is their job. However, I don't want them starving. I usually do about 2.5-3 quarts of food a day for 10 ducks according to my scooper. They're just hitting 12 weeks, so no layers yet.

 

[Going Quackers]

At one time i free choice fed, never found it stopped them from heading out for the day foraging, nowadays i have so many i put feed out a couple times a day, and make sure one time is near dark to lure the slagging behind ones back to the fenced area for close up time.

With 10 it shouldn't be hard to keep feeders fairly full but you could try a few times a day method if you prefer..

 

[seashoreduck]

I can't free feed becuase of other animals. Namely my dog who thinks that duck food is the most tasty substance ever made...and some rather pesky chimpmunks who have much the same opinion. Both of the aforementioned critters, plus the occasional wild birds would pretty much enter the house for food if given the option.

 

[MakeshiftAcre]

My 3 ten week old khaki Campbells get half a quart of Purina flock raiser, fed wet, in the evening when they are penned, and just a little is left in the morning when they are let out to forage.

 

[Amykins]

I'm a bit confused on this, as well. For my two small calls, I'm not sure what amount of food per day is healthy for them. They're house ducks so they don't forage much, except for the occasional lawn outing once or twice a week. They get some greens, but I don't want to overfeed them with their mazuri pellets out of fear of fatty liver disease.