Is the feed OK for my new hatched call ducks?

[ourlittleflock]

I have this feed - it is Ok to give it to my newly hatched call ducks

http://www.mannapro.com/products/poultry/gamebirdshowbird/

many thanks for any help

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Looks alright to me! Gamebird feed usually has the Niacin they need in it, but it never hurts to check your bag and make sure. Everything looks good though. I don't own calls, but I assume calls need nothing different than regular ducklings.

 

[FenDruadin]

Looks great. If it's rated for gamebirds it's probably fine for the ducklings at first.

The protein is a little high, though, so you will want to gradually tone it down after the first week or two. High protein can cause angel wing as their wing feathers start to come in. It's easy to fix--you can mix the feed with regular chick starter to bring it down some, but you'll still need to bring it down further at around age 4 to 5 weeks by adding a low-protein grain. Oats and wheat are good choices, based on what's cheapest in your area. I start with just a handful per feeding, and gradually increase it until the feed is about 25% oats and 75% feed.

Good luck. Sounds like you're doing great!

(By the way, 24% is actually quite low for game birds, which makes me worry a bit about the package's claims. Most game bird starter is 30%. But it should still be okay. If you run into niacin problems, you'll know from the shaky legs and you'll have an opportunity to correct it before it does any damage).

 

[aineheartsyou]

Metzer's has an awesome food calculator that allows you to mix different feeds to get the protein you desire. its what i use to mix my feed

http://www.metzerfarms.com/FeedConversion.cfm?CustID=332144

 

[ourlittleflock]

thanks so much for all the info