How much should a duck eat?

[Jlw0903]

Well, that's probably why they are eating more, Duck that are confined into a smallish area like that will generally eat more feed than a duck that is free-ranging. Letting them out too free-range more often might help with the feed bill a little or you could just expand there run. How does their keel bone feel?

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They are probably on the heavier side. Except maybe my Darla because shes always been a bit runty. I think I'll just start limiting their food and as long as they remain healthy it should be good.
They maybe eating more cuz its warming up so they are a bit more active when it was cold they would just snuggle up all day now I see them moving about more. I'll look at getting toys and stuff for them maybe hanging a cabbage from a rope for them to make it more interesting.

Ill look into dewormers as well in case.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It's starting to sound like I probably just have fat ducks.

 

[Jlw0903]

Are they laying daily and getting exercise? That in itself makes them need more calories. @casportpony has a good thread about worming. What part of the country are you in or countries? Usually ducks aren’t as prone to internal parasites unless kept in horrible conditions.

I'm in south east Wisconsin. It's been cold and getting below freezing most nights still. They all lay daily and only really get to run about if I get home before 5pm and on the weekend before thevirus my dad would come over some days and I know hed let them out during the week as well when they range they have 3 acres to explore (at least an hour of range time a day on weekends) lots of hawks, fox and coyotes by me so I won't let them out without supervision). Their hut has straw changed weekly. Their pen has no grass because they ate it all. I hate that it's all mud and dirt but I'm working through some solutions to that. So I dont know that it's the best area for them but its secure from predators. Their run is two 10x13 pens the can move between plus their 6x6 hut.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think we’re all guilty of spoiling our pets whether it’s dogs cats or horses goats or poultry. Mine can have food in their feeders an I soon as they see me coming they all get at their favorite place for treats and get so excited just knowing I am going to give them some. It doesn’t matter if it’s 30 mins after they are let out every morning or later. They are starving. Yeah right!

 

[Trisseh]

I feed my guys with a 500ml yogurt container. I had measured it out and for 3 ducks and 1 goose, 1 of those twice a day was sufficient based on the feeding schedule in my book. I’ve since sold my drake, so my 2 ducks (and 1 goose) eat between 1-1.5 of those containers per day (Can’t for the life of my remember what the actual weight of that was). This is during the winter and now during laying. I have them on a 15% grower/finisher because the feed store here doesn’t have a ton of options, and when I had the drake I didn’t want to feed layer feed. The girls do fine with free choice oyster shell anyways. They free range about the yard for a couple of hours each day but not much to eat out there with so much snow on the ground. They probably don’t need even as much as I’m giving them, but I didn’t want them getting cold or rundown from laying. Especially the goose. Lol. They also get mixed greens, cat food when they were moulting, and the very rare Cheeto. (They LOVE them.)

**edited because they get fed twice daily with 1 of the yogurt containers**

 

[DuckyDonna]

I'm in south east Wisconsin. It's been cold and getting below freezing most nights still. They all lay daily and only really get to run about if I get home before 5pm and on the weekend before thevirus my dad would come over some days and I know hed let them out during the week as well when they range they have 3 acres to explore (at least an hour of range time a day on weekends) lots of hawks, fox and coyotes by me so I won't let them out without supervision). Their hut has straw changed weekly. Their pen has no grass because they ate it all. I hate that it's all mud and dirt but I'm working through some solutions to that. So I dont know that it's the best area for them but its secure from predators. Their run is two 10x13 pens the can move between plus their 6x6 hut.

I had that problem in my run too with 100% of the grass totally gone. I sectioned off one good-sized area, planted grass and it grew great. Now my bad boys have been sequestered to that area.

Once the 4 went over I sectioned off another area and planted grass which is also growing nicely and quicker than I thought but we've had tons of rain this spring that seeing the sun has been rare.

I plan on doing that a few more times until I get all the grass back in the run. I'm in Georgia so my spring is way ahead of yours but you could possibly plan on doing something similar once your temperatures get warmer.

 

[Beaglegal]

My 7 Rouen, Cayuga and mixes eat about a 50 pound bag of food every 2 weeks, not sure what that is in cups. They free-range and are pretty active, mostly daily layers. The only treats are the occasional peas

 

[Jlw0903]

Yes. When I started rationing their food they stopped laying every day. Once i gave them the full feeder full again the eggs came back. I'm guessing that the girls just need a lot to lay their eggs. Thanks!

 

[DiYMama540]

I'm not good at keeping exact numbers on feed but I will tell you the ducks seem to be at the feeder constantly! They free range and search for bugs and treats, then right back to the feeder

 

[Isaac 0]

Yes. When I started rationing their food they stopped laying every day. Once i gave them the full feeder full again the eggs came back. I'm guessing that the girls just need a lot to lay their eggs. Thanks!