Overweight ducks?

[Alexandra33]

Okay, so here I am again asking yet ANOTHER question concerning my ducks. My six 5 month old ducks outside (3 Mallards, 2 Khakis, and a Buff) are fed broiler feed along with our 30 chickens and 3 ducklings, since there is no way of finding feed made specifically for ducks where we live. Lately, I have noticed that the six have gained some weight, and only one of them has been laying since almost 2 weeks ago, but the others haven't begun as of now. Does anyone think they are too heavy, or are they a normal and healthy weight? If they are on the chubby side, is there anything I can do to bring them down to a more standard weight? Thanks so much for the input.

 

[Amiga]

They look fine to me.

 

[Alexandra33]

Well, that's certainly good to hear! Thanks so much for the prompt reply.

-Alexandra33

 

[snow5164]

Oh my goodness they are so beautiful., are ducks harder to raise then chickens ? I guess they need deep water how do you keep the chickens out of it?

 

[Alexandra33]

Thanks, snow5164! Yes, ducks are more involved to care for both in the brooder and the coop. I currently also have 3 ducklings (2 Cayugas and a Blue Runner) in the house, and I have to clean out their brooder almost every day because they soak the bedding instantly. The older ducks in the coop outside make a mess under their hanging waterer which has to be shoveled out each day. However, in spite of this, ducks are pretty fun to have around. I love watching them run and flap excitedly around the yard; and the babies inside enjoy sitting on my lap or shoulders and being petted.

About the swimming, we actually never taught our adult ducks to swim, because they were so unfriendly as youngsters that the wouldn't let us near them. However, when there's a good rain, they play in it. The chickens create large dustbathing cavities in the ground, and these fill up with water, producing great pools to have fun in! Sometimes they form their own puddles. There's one behind one of our barns that has been a favorite spot of the ducks' for a couple of weeks. The ducklings swim, though, and we are working on restoring an old koi pond that they can bathe in. Honestly, I'm not sure how to restrain chickens from the water, but somehow, I don't think they would intentionally attempt to jump in.

-Alexandra33