Getting ducks off of eating just corn?

[eggcited2]

I got three Muscovy hens yesterday and when we put out food for them today, they didn't touch it at all.

I called the people I got the ducks from and asked what they fed the ducks. The man said they threw out whole corn (not cracked corn) for them to eat.

I want to get them on good food, not just corn.

How do I get them to start eating other things, not just whole corn kernels?

I sent my husband in town to get some scratchings, which has corn in it, and hope as they eat the corn, they will also eat some of the other things in the mix. But I also want to get them on pelleted or granule
flock food.

By the way, for those who are going to ask: they are confined and are kept away from my chickens and other duck. They are in quarantine..

 

[Amiga]

Tough one. It was like when I decided to stop drinking soda pop and drink more water. yuck. Now, I just love water and am not so good with pop.

Initial idea is mix a bit of corn - I mean like, in a blender - with moistened complete ration. See if there is enough corn taste to get them to eat it (I used to put some juice in my water and slowly reduced the amount of juice).

I would also put some poultry vitamins in their water once a week.

 

[nayeli]

I think you have the right idea! I would get them something with corn in it that way they see food and hopefully try other stuff, that or try other "snacks" like oats, peas, etc.

 

[Going Quackers]

Their isn't anything wrong with whole corn, i feed it to mine BUT they also get a staple feed which is where the hang up is, corn gets a bad rap, it is beneficial just shouldn't be the only means of food for the ducks.

I buffet feed it to mind, so in other words, they have a feeder of corn and feeders of pelleted complete food, ducks dislike change so i would start offering some complete feeds and slowly reducing the corn, will these birds free range? mine do the only exception being my banty ducks so they supplement their diets quite heavily.

It is possible to switch, i've done it some girls i got several years ago were only fed corn, they now eat both.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I'd def mix regular feed. I think corn contains somewhere around 8% protein, much less than the 18% that you are aiming for. No, nothing is "wrong" with corn, it's just that by itself, corn is not a complete feed. Just my $0.02