How to keep feedings seperate?

[elly21]

I am looking for some ideas on what is the best way to feed the ducks. We have 2 female and 1 drake Ancona. We also have 4 6 week old ducklings. 2 runners and 2 white layers. We have one large pen under our deck with a coop. During the day the ducks and ducklings have access to most of the yard for foraging. The ducklings are only going outside when it's not too cold and they haven't spent a night outside as of yet.

I have always just kept food out for the Ancona's and they have access to it all the time. Pretty soon the ducklings will be out there with the Ancona's fulltime. I know that they are too young to eat the layer pellets. How should I handle feedings?

 

[buff goose guy]

if you can get regular game bird chow and i think it mazuri maintenance i think thats for an all purpose flock , but what you could do is time your feeding like when the ducklings go up feed them at that time . something like that.

 

[Buck Oakes]

Also cracked corn is fine, if they free range they get vitamins and good stuff, the cracked corn helps the adults through molt and helps the babies get extra sugars for feather development, and then eventually u can go back and feed layer pellets

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since you live in a northern climate there probably isn't much in the way of foraging right now it's getting that way here and I am mid south. Top keep from feeding layer to your youngest why not buy an all flock feed, Purina makes one called Purina Flock raiser you can feed it over late fall and winter and when spring starts up switch back to layer your youngest will be ready for it then. I just finished up feeding my layers laying feed and am using all flock and providing Oyster shell for any who lay during winter months. Which is my chickens my ducks are through for the year.

Cracked corn is not a complete feed and should only be used as a treat. especially for young ducks who need the nourishment a complete feed offers.

 

[TLWR]

I saw to an flock raiser when I have littles sharing with the bigs.

 

[elly21]

I'll need more feed by the end of the week, I'll pick up the flock raiser. I had no idea it existed. Thank you so much for all the feedback! The ducklings spent the day outside with the Anconas yesterday and there was no fighting. The drake will sometimes bully the ducklings, but nothing major. Just kind of chasing them away. The females don't seem to mind the ducklings too much. They shared the watermelon I gave them with no problem and they all laid down and rested next to each other. I feel much better about integrating them now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll need more feed by the end of the week, I'll pick up the flock raiser. I had no idea it existed. Thank you so much for all the feedback! The ducklings spent the day outside with the Anconas yesterday and there was no fighting. The drake will sometimes bully the ducklings, but nothing major. Just kind of chasing them away. The females don't seem to mind the ducklings too much. They shared the watermelon I gave them with no problem and they all laid down and rested next to each other. I feel much better about integrating them now.

Sounds like a plan and good news the flock is accepting them, don't get to comfortable though things can change fast with adults and kids. But to share watermelon is a biggie.

 

[elly21]

Sounds like a plan and good news the flock is accepting them, don't get to comfortable though things can change fast with adults and kids. But to share watermelon is a biggie.

I am outside with them a lot especially when they are all together. I may keep the ducklings outside over night tomorrow as it won't drop below 55 degrees. I'm trying to get them used to the cold slowly so they won't be shocked when they are out there full time. I don't think I'll ever get ducklings late in the season again. We got the ancona's at the end of April. It was starting to warm up and they were able to stay out full time after 4 weeks or so. The current ducklings are 6 weeks now and the white layers are already the same size as the ancona's. But I think they are going to be much bigger. Their heads are already bigger and their legs are much thicker. I'm thinking they are going to be the size of jumbo Pekins.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am outside with them a lot especially when they are all together. I may keep the ducklings outside over night tomorrow as it won't drop below 55 degrees. I'm trying to get them used to the cold slowly so they won't be shocked when they are out there full time. I don't think I'll ever get ducklings late in the season again. We got the ancona's at the end of April. It was starting to warm up and they were able to stay out full time after 4 weeks or so. The current ducklings are 6 weeks now and the white layers are already the same size as the ancona's. But I think they are going to be much bigger. Their heads are already bigger and their legs are much thicker. I'm thinking they are going to be the size of jumbo Pekins.

Hopefully you'll get some nice X large eggs from those girls. Let us know how it goes with them. If your 6weeks old ducklings are completely feathered in and you have a draft free well ventilated house for them they should be able to get use to your temps before the hard cold gets here.

 

[elly21]

Hopefully you'll get some nice X large eggs from those girls. Let us know how it goes with them. If your 6weeks old ducklings are completely feathered in and you have a draft free well ventilated house for them they should be able to get use to your temps before the hard cold gets here.

They are not fully feathered yet. They should be by 9 weeks old, right? The whitelayers are the calmest and friendliest of all the ducks. They are so sweet, hence the name sweet Emily's I suppose. lol I just can't tell them apart. The Ancona's are easy to tell apart and one of the runners has a darker patch on it's butt.

We are going to put plastic up over the whole pen to help block the wind. But here are some pictures of our setup.