How do you bulk up for winter?

[Jlw0903]

It's getting cold and I want to make sure my sweet ones have enough meat on their bones to stay warm. They have free access to food and between the 6 of them they typically eat between 8and 10 cups of layer feed. Are there other foods or treats that are safe and healthy that will help them bulk up a bit? I'm a bit concerned about my little Black Swedish, Darla, who's always been a little runty and had a crooked spine.

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

Maybe cracked corn

 

[Jpat]

the only thing i change for winter is i give grower pellets inatead of layer, and free oyster shell, that way they dont miss out too much on calcium and it gives them grit
But alot of folks dont change at all and get by just fine
beautifull ducks!

 

[Jlw0903]

Maybe cracked corn

I bought a 50lbs bag of that and they turned their noses up at it. They are very spoiled and and I think they were offended that it wasn't their usual treats of frozen veggies (peas carrots corn and bean mix typically. only 0.89 at walmart btw making it a cheap treat/training tool).

I did make them an oatmeal mash that I mixed in cracked corn and mealworms into. They ate that. Just not sure how good oatmeal is overall for them?

 

[Jlw0903]

Maybe cracked corn

Thanks! I love them so much! They surprised me with an egg this morning. It was greenish so maybe one of the rouens or the one of the swedish?
Darla is the one on the far right with her tail feathers sticking straight up which is just how she is. Her spinal deformity seems to have gotten a bit better as shes grown but shes still the smallest of all my ducks even though she is the first one to come running when there are treats and I need to push her away at times so the others get some. So I know shes a good eater

 

[Jlw0903]

the only thing i change for winter is i give grower pellets inatead of layer, and free oyster shell, that way they dont miss out too much on calcium and it gives them grit
But alot of folks dont change at all and get by just fine
beautifull ducks!

The grower pellets are a really good idea actually! It would be a good idea to mix some in with their layer feed.

They always have access to both grit and oyster shells - I put both out cuz I hear it's not so good for the males. Though he seems to go for the shells as much if not more than my girls so idk that's his choice I guess haha

 

[Duckfarmer1]

I have a runt duck, Little Lou, as most people know. I was told to give him kitten food..32%protein in it typically..it has really helped..and I give it to the other guys too..they all love it!! I also give them BOSS..they love that too...I give them a lot of people food too...veggies..squash, bananas, peas, grapes, mealworms—-they are pricey...as for the veggies..it doesn’t need to be always the new stuff...I give them a lot that we don’t eat, that would’ve gone to compost. They love banana peels. You might want to try some of those things...get creative with the veggies..I don’t mean make a platter..but if you see weird veggies on sale..try it out...we found ours love all sorts of stuff!! Good luck! But as for meat on their bones..they need protein..so the kittens food would be my #1 choice.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

My ducks were going crazy for cracked corn - first… After a month or so the would poop on it. What you can try is to soak the corn in water for a couple of hours, that's how mine eat it. - They eat it, in defiance of death, like Socrates drank the hemlock. And they look at me like - i can't describe that look…
Another good thing to feed during winter is fodder. @gtaus wrote an excellent article about his fodder tower that he snuck into their guest bathroom in futile attempt to hide it from his wife…

• @gtaus fodder tower article
• The super funny thread how he hid that thing in the bathroom (and finally got busted)
• My media album with tons of pictures of my fodder production

I can only recommend to grow fodder! It saved me a ton of money, that i otherwise had spent on red-cabbage, it is not much work(10 minutes/day) and the ducks go nuts for the fresh greens.

 

[chickens really]

I don't provide anything extra in the winter. Just straw and a shelter in a covered run from wind. Heated house to sleep in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My ducks were going crazy for cracked corn - first… After a month or so the would poop on it. What you can try is to soak the corn in water for a couple of hours, that's how mine eat it. - They eat it, in defiance of death, like Socrates drank the hemlock. And they look at me like - i can't describe that look…
Another good thing to feed during winter is fodder. @gtaus wrote an excellent article about his fodder tower that he snuck into their guest bathroom in futile attempt to hide it from his wife…

• @gtaus fodder tower article
• The super funny thread how he hid that thing in the bathroom (and finally got busted)
• My media album with tons of pictures of my fodder production

I can only recommend to grow fodder! It saved me a ton of money, that i otherwise had spent on red-cabbage, it is not much work(10 minutes/day) and the ducks go nuts for the fresh greens.