Help, my ducks are all Drakes

[ducktalk]

We went through this same thing with our first batch of ducks that we bought unsexed. We ended up with 3 males and 3 females, down to 1 male and 3 females now. If you buy ducks online you can buy them sexed and they come through the mail just after hatching - there's a special system the USPS uses so they call you as soon as they come in. It costs more to have them sexed but for us it's worth it because of how violent the drakes can get.

 

[Dixieldy]

Organic feed is great for them. And for snacks all the other things you mentioned unless your feeding layer.

Thanks, at one time I read you can feed them dog food but not sure. This organic feed is too expensive to give them.

 

[Dixieldy]

We went through this same thing with our first batch of ducks that we bought unsexed. We ended up with 3 males and 3 females, down to 1 male and 3 females now. If you buy ducks online you can buy them sexed and they come through the mail just after hatching - there's a special system the USPS uses so they call you as soon as they come in. It costs more to have them sexed but for us it's worth it because of how violent the drakes can get.

I may have to try that but will wait till I have more room for them! LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wouldn't feed just dog food mine love it as a treat a few times a week. How about an all flock feed? Something that is intended for all poultry and has everything they need in nutrients?

 

[Dixieldy]

I would feed just dog food mine love it as a treat a few times a week. How about an all flock feed? Something that is intended for all poultry and has everything they need in nutrients?

Yes good idea! I may try an all flock feed for them. Thanks for the info on the dog food. I'm going to try giving them s little.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's really good for them in molting because of the protein. if you give them a good quality that isn't full of fillers.

 

[Duckworth]

All flock or flock raiser have worked well for me. I have some laying and some not, so a feed like that, which doesn't have the added calcium of a layer feed, is a good choice. Extra calcium in feed for non layers of either gender is not helpful and can be detrimental. They are pretty economical, too.

 

[Dixieldy]

Well, my ducks did not like the dog food but my organic chickens raced to get in the food! I was amazed! My husband grinds corn for a mill less than a mile away. They grind corn for the moonshine distillers here. The corn is from an heirloom seed and organically grown. I have been mixing some of that ground corn in with their feed. I have also given them Spelt which is not ground up and they love that too. I'm wondering what else I should be giving them because they eat the organic laying crumbles and I had no idea it wasn't a complete food for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s not that organic layer pellets aren’t a complete feed it’s the calcium in the feed that isn’t good for the drakes. Feed them the layer just add the other grains to it to drop the calcium content. I can only get layer in the Non GMO feed I buy so I add other grains to drop the calcium down for my boys and keep oyster shell out for my layers.