grinding Mazuri Waterfowl Starter?

[KaleIAm]

I have 3 runner ducks (Wanda, Wally, and Wolfgang Duck). Little Wanda is 3 1/2 pounds and has laid an egg everyday for past 19 days! About 11 days ago I placed 7 of her eggs that I had been saving in the basement and put them in the incubator with 4 goose eggs. ALL of Wanda's eggs are fertile!!! Plus 2 of the goose eggs!

I kept going round and round and round on the starter feed merry-go-round and finally settled again on Mazuri. I'll probably soak or crush a small amount and see how it goes. I'd rather have to crush a bit of mini-pellets than guess on how much yeast or niacin to add.

I like the idea of the pellets floating and hoping there is less waste. Last year I had a royal mess with soggy food.

Well that sounds adorable!! Please post photos and tag me!

 

[KaleIAm]

Normally I would just use the best value feed. My adult flock eat Purina or Dumor Flock Raiser and/or layer pellets.

But, when I see the day 11 babies in their shells cooking in the Nuture Right incubator in my kitchen, it just feels different. It is like, they are doing their part growing and will fight like crazy to peck themselves out of their perfect little shells and into our chaotic, crazy world; the least I can do is provide them with the supposed "gold standard" of feed until they start thriving and perhaps longer.

Plus, 2 female runner ducks and 3 extremely expensive Sebastopol goslings will be shipped from Metzers in a few weeks and I want to feed them the "best" for the same reasons.

I know I can't get everything perfect but, I will try to do my best. Hopefully, this will be the last time that I purchase waterfowl. Should be able to facilitate lots of pretties next year!!!

Feeding high quality food is significantly less expensive than vet bills. It also hurts your heart less.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I'm A huge fan of Mazuri starter. Chewys has a good price. Its expensive stuff but worth it. For the first 4 days I wet it to make duckling soup. After that they get it right out of the bag.

 

[Duckiiess]

My ducklings get purina flock raiser crumbles with some nutritional yeast and a tin of wet cat food every couple of days. Have never had any leg or wing issues. Change the food to Nutrena All Flock at 4-6 weeks or so, that has more niacin in it than the Purina duck feed and is less expensive to boot.
Are the high priced foods better? Don't see how.. if they are, it'd be like splitting hairs

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Probably not. It just makes me feel better. My vet says Mazuri is the best so

 

[Duckiiess]

Probably not. It just makes me feel better. My vet says Mazuri is the best so

Based on what? Not criticizing, just curious.

Many vets say science diet is the "best" dog food, but there's really no such thing, really depends on what your pup does the best on. I tried that, but my pup did much better on other options. Big companies like that constantly change their formulations, so even if they're doing well on something for a while that could change... he's been on 5 or 6 different foods at least over his lifetime.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Based on what? Not criticizing, just curious.

Many vets say science diet is the "best" dog food, but there's really no such thing, really depends on what your pup does the best on. I tried that, but my pup did much better on other options. Big companies like that constantly change their formulations, so even if they're doing well on something for a while that could change... he's been on 5 or 6 different foods at least over his lifetime.

Well I have an avian vet that has ducks herself and doesn't sell the food. I have had very good luck with it. I'm A big fan.