How much to feed Muscovy's

[Nyowpotopop]

Hi there! I'm all new here but have been stalking these forums for months. I'm trying to start doing an urban farm type thing and I'm trying to get some info on Muscovy Ducks but I can't seem to figure out basic care for them feeding wise.

I know that optimally chicks should have %20-24 protein and adults should have %16-18... I know that they need extra niacin and unmedicated food. I know that they can eat layer pellets but don't need the extra calcium and that I can just offer free-choice flaked oyster shell instead. (Correct me if I'm wrong on any of that!)

But nowhere am I finding how MUCH food total the ducks should eat as adults. Most pet-food packages say "Feed X many cup/lbs/grams per X many lbs of animal". And nowhere am I finding this info for muscovy ducks!
If I'm looking at keeping 5 Muscovy ducks (4F 1M) in a 1/8th acre pen how many lbs of feed will I need to feed them every day/week/mo during winter months when the only thing on the ground is snow? And what about in spring/summer when they're laying but there's grass again?
I just wanna know how much I am supposed to feed these birds to keep them alive and fairly well... So I can budget out if it's worth it for us to get these birds. We'd be breeding them mostly for meat but a little bit for eggs too.

Please let me know!

 

[Wulfandwyn]

It may not be of much help, but I was going through about a 50lb bag of gamebird pellets or meat bird pellets a month for 6 muscovy and 2 chickens. Now that I have a bunch of ducklings too it seems like I have to buy a 50lb bag every week or two and that is with them mowing the lawn for me

. Forgot to mention I had to buy flock starter crumbles for the little ones.

 

[Nyowpotopop]

Well that tells me more than what I was finding before! That sounds like I could get away with a 50lb bag/mo for 5 muscovies pretty easy... Possibly even year-round depending on how many ducklings I have. What protein is your gamebird pellets? I have heard that most gamebird pellets are a little high on protein for adults so most people cut it with cracked corn or scratch grains.

 

[hdowden]

i dont go threw that much with 8 ducks and 13 chickens but i feed other foods as well such as berries and corn with the chickens a little lettice and fish with the ducks along with free ranging and i buy a 50lb bag every 1.5 months sometimes sooner than that depending on how im feeding them

 

[Wulfandwyn]

I was estimating plus I just have a city lot so the free ranging is limited. The gamebird is 24% and starter is 20%. I do give them some black oil sun flower seeds it gives them a great shine. Sometimes I give them scratch as a treat. Gamebird or Meatbird (depending on what is available) were what the muscovy breeder I bought my birds from feeds his birds and they are gorgeous.

 

[Nyowpotopop]

Yeah, I also will be having a city lot. Luckily the lot is in a place with almost NO animal laws... But I settled on Muscovies because there are laws about keeping noise levels down and most birds are LOUD.

I have heard about feeding BOSS and the local petstore carries them in bulk so I can give those as treats. I figure I can prolly cut a gamebird feed down with corn or scratch grain mixed in to %18 protein and still be good as that's still higher than the minimum recommended %16. So now I have a better idea on pricing for bird feed... But I'd love to hear from other people on this still.

 

[ian4379]

they eat a lot in the first 16 weeks, once they are grown i think i average about a cup of wheat/layer grain mix per bird at night, mine free range on grass all day, i also feed them bread and vegie scraps as well in the morning.

in regards to the protein amount i've found that my birds do better on a mix of wheat and layer mix, wheat is 10% protein so it actually works out less protein but i think its the amount of energy/calories in the wheat that fills them out better.

 

[Going Quackers]

I don't use a set amount, i put food out each morning in the outdoor feeder and that is what they have till night where in the barn i have access for them as well. They all forage, since i have birds of varying ages i switched to a flock raiser suitable for day 1 and beyond, i have always done free choice oyster shell since i own drakes and there are various opinions on the safety of a drake eating a layer feed.

I do not add supplements.. my son loves to give them worms lol and in winter months i do offer greens.. so basically i free choice.. i guess...

 

[Wulfandwyn]

I might have to try that. You have a lot of beautiful birds too Ian.

they eat a lot in the first 16 weeks, once they are grown i think i average about a cup of wheat/layer grain mix per bird at night, mine free range on grass all day, i also feed them bread and vegie scraps as well in the morning.

in regards to the protein amount i've found that my birds do better on a mix of wheat and layer mix, wheat is 10% protein so it actually works out less protein but i think its the amount of energy/calories in the wheat that fills them out better.

 

[ruffledfeathers1234]

nyowpotopop you just have to figure out what works for you. try giving feed free choice for a while to maybe get an idea of how much your ducks will eat a day.