Pasture Fed Duck Flock?

[DuckTapePalace]

Hey all! Getting the ducks tucked in for the cold months and thinking a bit ahead..

I’ve seen a few articles on “pasture fed” ducks and am wondering if this is something anyone has done or is doing with their domestic layers. How? What are the benefits and drawbacks? Would my ducks think I’m trying to starve them to death and riot if I tried to switch them to 100% garden fed? We are in the PNW, so while everything burnt and fried without water over the summer, things are turning green in Nov/Dec with rains and cooler temps. Not too much frost yet and probably no snow until spring. They do some good foraging outside their feed and have reservations about raiding any flower/berry bush pots within sight. They do enjoy mint from time to time (new chocolate mint was decimated last winter and has not recovered).

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My ducks free range acres. I'm grow zone 8a, sometimes seems like 7b, and we get plenty of rain, so we are green pretty much year round.

Pro: Duck splat isn't concentrated in one place. Ducks get exercise, seem to be happier, drakes are (mostly) better behaved and the hens don't tend towards looking over mated. Savings on feed costs.

Cons: MUCH more predator pressure - I've lost one or two over the years. Seasonal greens means seasonal eating. We are approaching the point where my ducks will be eating lots of acorns from the pignut hickory. Doesn't change the flavor any, does turn the yolks an unappetizing shade of off green.

Even with all my space, I'm not able to maintain flocks purely with what I can grow.

 

[Jenbirdee]

give them duck feed to come home to before sunset , make sure they full their little tummies before bed

 

[DuckTapePalace]

My ducks free range acres. I'm grow zone 8a, sometimes seems like 7b, and we get plenty of rain, so we are green pretty much year round.

Pro: Duck splat isn't concentrated in one place. Ducks get exercise, seem to be happier, drakes are (mostly) better behaved and the hens don't tend towards looking over mated. Savings on feed costs.

Cons: MUCH more predator pressure - I've lost one or two over the years. Seasonal greens means seasonal eating. We are approaching the point where my ducks will be eating lots of acorns from the pignut hickory. Doesn't change the flavor any, does turn the yolks an unappetizing shade of off green.

Even with all my space, I'm not able to maintain flocks purely with what I can grow.

Is there anything you plant just for them? They seem to like some of my flowers and much them until they’re gone. We have a few wild plants they really enjoy but some of it didn’t come up as much this year and some was over harvested as a treat.

 

[Guy4God]

My ducks free range acres. I'm grow zone 8a, sometimes seems like 7b, and we get plenty of rain, so we are green pretty much year round.

Pro: Duck splat isn't concentrated in one place. Ducks get exercise, seem to be happier, drakes are (mostly) better behaved and the hens don't tend towards looking over mated. Savings on feed costs.

Cons: MUCH more predator pressure - I've lost one or two over the years. Seasonal greens means seasonal eating. We are approaching the point where my ducks will be eating lots of acorns from the pignut hickory. Doesn't change the flavor any, does turn the yolks an unappetizing shade of off green.

Even with all my space, I'm not able to maintain flocks purely with what I can grow.

How much land? How many birds?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

How much land? How many birds?

2 acre pasture, 3 acre upland "woods". The birds ignore the electric fence and range another acre or two, about half yard, half lightly wooded. My current flock is in my sig - and my pasture is being completely reseeded. Between the goats, the ducks, the chickens,m and then this year's record breaking snowfall, its pretty barren.

I've had as many as 100 birds in the pasture, and as few as three goats.