grower feed - layer feed question

[jebber]

I have 5 ducks, feeding them grower feed right now (13 weeks old). They should be ready to lay come spring. They free range on a 1/2 acre right now with grower/oat mix available during the day.

My question -

Should I start layer feed over the winter or wait til they start laying?

I'm almost out of grower & need to buy feed within a week. Trying to figure out what to buy to get thru the winter.

Thanx for any help.

 

[Amiga]

Are they playing hop on top yet? When that starts, I would switch to layer. Otherwise, I would go with grower. To split the difference, you could buy grower and oyster shell, the latter of which you can offer free choice once they show signs of wanting to mate.

My runners started doing that about a month before the first egg, and Storey's Guide recommends starting them on extra calcium a month before they lay.

 

[jebber]

Thanx Amiga,

No 'hop on top' yet. Is it bad to start layer feed too soon? I promise I'll pull Storeys guide this evening.

Thanx again

 

[Going Quackers]

I would not start layer until they actually lay, to be perfectly honest, i don't even use layer as i have drakes. They just get grower and grains and free range, i keep free choice oyster shell out for the ladies.

Ducks being seasonal layers means you likely won't even see eggs this year from them, and excessive calcium is not good for them, in Storey's guide he actually speaks of an incident where a feed was accidentally increased with it causing serious issues( i believe if i recall right, actual life loss) due to it being for young ducks.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I usually will go thru one bag of Layer all year. I actually just have cracked my 1st bag of 2013, just bcz it was on sale and in a pretty bag. Of course, if the Ladies eggs are telling me they need calcium, I'd provide the layer. Normally I just use a Duck & Goose feed, not a layer.

 

[Amiga]

Thanx Amiga,

No 'hop on top' yet. Is it bad to start layer feed too soon? I promise I'll pull Storeys guide this evening.

Thanx again

The general approach is to avoid feeding layer to non-laying ducks, unless it's four weeks before they start laying. And as Going Quackers wrote, many people do well with feeding a non-layer feed, with oyster shell on the side.

My duck saga includes some year-round layers and some girls who don't seem to either get enough or properly metabolize calcium. So I try various ways to get the extra Ca to those who need it, and not too much to those who don't.

 

[jebber]

great stuff! Thanx all!

 

[LoveToFarm]

Hello I was wondering if I could chim in? I have 7 ducks(4 anconas and 3 mallards)the anconas are 1 female and 3 boys need more females! But I was wondering they are 18 weeks and they Re doing the riding not a lot but testing the water so to speek so when should I start oyster shell or layer feed or any of that stuff for them or wilk they just wait till spring? Thanks

 

[Amiga]

I would go ahead and start with the free choice oyster shell on the side. When mine started hop on top, four weeks later we got our first egg.

 

[LoveToFarm]

I would go ahead and start with the free choice oyster shell on the side.  When mine started hop on top, four weeks later we got our first egg.

I started it today will the boys eat it? I don't have them seperated! I hope I get eggs bit its ok if they wait till spring!