Mixing feeds for winter

[newbyduckmom]

I have been buying cracked corn or chicken scratch to mix with Flock Raiser pellets, but the duck won't touch the food when the cracked corn or (latest purchase) chicken scratch is mixed with their normal feed. I only mix a small portion, but they refuse to eat the food every time. Even after several weeks of trying....darned picky ducks!

 

[Evelle]

thats sooo strange... my ducks love cracked corn, i grew corn just for them this year froze it and throw it in the yard the go crazy for it (but havent always been)
i say keep trying..

 

[secuono]

My ducks are pigs, have you tried to not feed them one day and then feed them w/the mix?
Mine are always too greedy and busy stuffing their faces to notice new feed.

 

[newbyduckmom]

I have tried alternating days, separate bowls, anything I can think of. They are truly picky. Although they did this with peas as well, and now they mob me when I bring peas. But time/familiarity doesn't seem to be helping with the grains.....no clue. Even thought I might be getting packages that were spoiled, so tried new packages and still a no go. Darned spoiled ducks! (Husband says not to worry about it, they are 'WELL FED'. Yep, spoiled ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My ducks, chickens and goose love the mix. Matter of fact I just finished mixing 150lbs of FR to 50.of scratch[7way]. and if it was here it would probably be the other way around they would eat the scratch then try the FR. I say they will eat when they get hunry enough. Bugs and greens are getting scarce here with cold weather setting in, so they will enjoy their feed even more. Wish you the best on figuring it out.

spoiled duckies and not so spoiled hubby

 

[Rosecomb-Ryan]

In the winter I add Wet cob. So I feed 3 part Lay pellets 1 Part Wet cob, 1 part dog food, 1/2 scoop of Black Oil Sunflower, and 1/2 a scoop of oyster shells...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Hey Ryan i ask my feed store if they carry wet cob and they had never heard of it.

 

[Rosecomb-Ryan]

Ill take a picture of the bag... lol Someone a long time ago called it something else.. I dont remember. It is wet cob for livestock.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

I mix cracked corn in with layer pellets for my ducks, they love cracked corn and would eat it all the time if I let them lol. I dont give em much though. Say I give them 4 lbs of chicken scratch, I will give them 1 lb of cracked corn, this is winter feeding though. Lol.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Okay, I give up. I need a ducky shrink. This morning I put the Flock Raiser in a separate dish, with the chicken scratch in a separate dish. Last night I mixed the two and came out to only about 1/3 of the food gone.

All six ducks immediately went to the chicken scratch and gobbled it up. They will not eat it mixed with pellets, and previously wouldn't eat it separate. But this morning it was duck candy.


Lesson of the day:

Just feed them, don't try to figure them out.