Pekin duck diet

[indianaducks]

I have a mixed flock of ducks (a few drakes included). Most of my large pekins have been sent to freezer camp as they turned out to be extra drakes or had leg issues I couldn’t resolve. I kept three (two ladies and a drake that the hubby likes). The drake in particular is HUGE and I’m thinking likely overweight. His stomach just about drags on the ground (not quite but getting close). Any tips for putting him on a diet without putting the rest of the flock on an unneeded diet. I don’t have a good way of separating him.
I feed pellet food every morning and sometimes a small amount in the afternoon if they plow through the morning feed. When I can supervise and there’s no hawks circling they forage and free range. He just started learning the art of foraging about a month ago so I’m hopeful that will help. He used to just lay around and wait for his next meal. So hopefully free ranging and foraging will give him some exercise and help?
The photo doesn’t really due his size justice but he’s gigantic at least compared to the rest of my non-Pekin ducks.

 

[GregnLety]

Mine do well on what I feed our chickens. Purina flock raiser mixed 2 to 1 with 5 grain scratch feed from tractor supply. We do try to see that they free range as much as possible too.

 

[Quatie]

I feed my ducks twice a day to limit how much my pekin can eat. I feed them enough so they have a little extra food left over. You could also seperate him out to feed, so the others have plenty of time to eat. Over time my Pekin has gotten use to free ranging with the other ducks and does not eat as much. When I started with ducks, I had mostly Pekin. They pigged out and were lazy. Once I had other breeds, they foraged more and my fatter one slimmed down a bit and lost her cubby cheeks.

 

[indianaducks]

“I’m not sure I approve of this diet you want me to start…”-Big Boi

 

[kwik-kwak]

Since the pekin is your largest duck, you can maybe make an area where he can't get in and the others can. For example, a small opening in a fence or something the others can jump over. Maybe a little sad that he can't reach it, but too fat not good either...

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Try separating your water from the food, not too far because they need it, but not side by side either, mine is about 20’ I also have a beastly drake but not overweight. I find that they eat a bit, walk to the water, do their thing and become distracted by something else and don’t gorge.