How much greens and how often?

[Broodica]

I have been giving my 2.5 week old Mallard and Rouen and 1.5 week old Mallard ducklings some greens (romaine) which I have been chopping up very finely. They go nuts! How much should I be giving them? They go through what I give them in less than 2 mins. I am not sure how much the little guys are even getting because the older Rouen and Mallard are voracious when it comes to greens. And how often should I give it to them? I tried to search the info but couldn't find anything specific. There are 4 of the critters in total.

Thanks!

 

[katharinad]

I'm not sure if there is a rule about how much. I would give them one small leaf or less each. Mine are going nuts over it too. On peas I would give 1/2 cup total for all of them. Man you are creating monsters, and they will be so picky.

My 9 adult ducks get one large leaf each, or they have to share one cup of peas. I alternate what they get on a daily basis. Today they had 1/4 of a watermelon. They are so spoiled and don't even know it.

 

[chikky]

Not sure about the amount, but I read somewhere that it's more important to give greens if they are not getting any grass, etc. I haven't fed much lettuce over the summer since they're out every night picking in the yard, but will pick back up when everything freezes and they're on straight pellets. Last winter, I cut up red and green leaf lettuce each day and gave them about 2 cups a day for 2 ducks.

I also read about buying the little alfalfa blocks and soaking them in a dish of water for the ducks to eat to get greens in the off-season. I may try to find a bale of alfalfa hay and give them little bits of it over the winter. May also give them something to do besides wish for free-ranging- they can pick around in the hay and find all the little yummy stuff.

 

[gofasterstripe]

My 4 1/2 week old ducklings love anything that comes in a WHITE bowl!!!! For the past 2 days they have had lettuce, cherry tomatoes and peas mixed in a bowl with some water and its gone in 20 seconds flat.
Its come to the point that when I walk across the yard to go feed the horses they come squeeze thru the 4x4 goat fencing and come running to see if whats in the WHITE cups. As soon as I see them I point back the way they came and walk them back to the fence and tell them to get back where they belong...they all go back to their own side of the fence. By next week the runners wont be able to get thru. Last week Sly my fat Pekin thought she was slimmer than she was, I literally had to squeeze a round peg thru a square hole...it wasnt a laughing matter at the time, with a squealing duckling, me worrying squeezing said round peg thru said square hole and my mule at the other side of the fence, I thought she was a gonner. Now...she doesnt go anywhere near the fence.

 

[chikky]

Awww, so easy to spoil them!

Mine are really picky- they only want worms and duck chow. (So yes, I'm the one out digging in the dirt to find them worms). They do eat cut up lettuce but won't touch peas or watermelon or any goodies like that.

 

[Broodica]

We've had them out a couple of times when it finally warmed up and was sunny, but other than those 2 days, it has been constantly cold and rainy since we got them, so i figured they need their greens and a bug here and there. They will be locked up in a house in their enclosure at night so no pickings, as we live in an area that has every predator the PNW can throw at us. Even tho my DH is promising a predator-proof coop/duck house/run, I would rather not have bobcats, the occasional cougar, raccoons, coyotes, foxes and other assorted creatures hanging around conferencing at night trying to think of ways to get in! At least the bears hibernate!

But it sounds like they don't need as much as I thought they did. I was picturing bales of greens being required.

Thanks!

 

[chikky]

I just wondered if anyone has tried frozen spinach, or other frozen leafy type greens....I may give that a shot to see if they eat them.

 

[katharinad]

Be careful with spinach the iron in it cuts down the absorption of calcium from their diet. This can lead to egg binding in laying birds. There are plenty of other greens you can get.

 

[chikky]

Oh yes, that's right. Scratch the spinach.