Need info on duck feed and housing...

[Zaxby's2]

Okay, so I'm once again looking into ducks. Right now I feed my chickens starter/grower feed with oyster shell on the side, and it's worked great. Can I feed ducks the same thing? I plan on keeping them in a pen next to the chicken pen to start and then letting them free range with my chickens. I plan on getting around four ducks and I've got two large dog houses so can they use those as small coops? And will they come when called if trained? Thanks!

 

[Zaxby's2]

Anyone?

 

[SassyKat6181]

I have 29 chickens and 14 ducks. They all eat Starter/Grower with oyster shell free choice. They have a fenced in outdoor area (50'x100') with netting over the top. When it starts to get dark, the chickens go into their coop on the left and the ducks go into their coop on the right. Their "coops" are 12x12 horse stalls that open directly into the outdoor area. I had to train the ducks for the first week to go into their coop at night. I just used my arms and said "coop coop!" as I hearded them in. They are really good about going in when I say "coop coop" now and usually just go in on their own before it gets dark.

In the summer, I raise their feeders during the day so they go out to forage. Letting the feeder down at night also brought them in right away. I let them have free choice feed now, as it is cold and there's not much for them to eat outside.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Thanks, so can I probably use the dog houses?

 

[Scovy Momma]

I feed my girl unmedicated starter crumbles with cracked corn & oyster shells. You want to make sure ducks have unmedicated food. She gets a lot of kitchen veggie scraps,scrambled eggs & shells,& she learned her training very quickly because she loves dog kibbles & cheerios. I usually spend maybe $3-$5 every month & a half to two months at the feed store for her food,corn & oyster.
When I had outdoor ducks we just had a big run with a big old dog house my pop made & the door had those heavy plastic strips from the walk-in freezer to keep them dry & warmer than an open door. They were Pekins & Muscovy that free ranged with our RIR.
Those ducks & chickens came when we called & my girl I have now is a house ducky & she's as responsive as the dogs are when I call,but she usually doesn't go far from me anyway.
At least that's what I do,but I'd be interested to hear if there's something better I should be feeding her.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If the medication in feed is amprollium (which is the one that is used most often) it will not hurt ducks.

 

[Scovy Momma]

Good to know! I just remember being warned about medicated feed at all with duckies.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Decades ago, the medication used was bad for ducks. They haven't used that med for a very long time, but the advice to keep medicated feed away from ducks lives on and on.

It was very good advice at one time, but no longer applies.

 

[LaynaDon95]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/621621/muscovy-questions
These are specifically Muscovy questions but I think they will work for pretty much any other kind of duck.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Thanks everyone this clears things up for me pretty much.