Problem: overweight anconas, 15 wks old (more PICS NOW)

[jmc]

had been overfeeding; but once i noticed the keel hanging between the legs of three girls, i looked again at holderread's book and followed his MINIMUM amount for them. they now get about half as much as before; (.25 # per bird per day) but the girls still have the keels.


ever successfully put a duck on a diet? maybe i should add some oatmeal?? i'm concerned cuz i don't want to have any prolapsed ducks on my hands when they start laying. i have already put down one Khaki duck for prolapse, and another one will have to be put down soon. any thoughts/experience? muchas gratias

 

[jmc]

amazing. no one has even a hint?

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I would make them work/exercise for their food. Instead of putting the food in a nice convenient feeder scatter it through the pen. I cut my ducks to the minimum and they aren't even eating all of that. They are becoming better foragers. even in their pen they are finding lizards and bugs.

 

[toadbriar]

JMC can you share a picture? I wanna see what a fattie looks like

 

[jmc]

Quote:
interesting thought. though the 14 birds have emptied their feeder by 9:30 am and are squawking all day with anger/hunger. that bothers me. they've got about 3000 square feet to forage in...........the girls just aren't losing weight. first it was two and now there are three with a nice fold hanging between their legs about 1.5" deep; and a fourth is on the way

but i do like that idea of scattering it--as long is it ain't gonna rain, and dissolve the feed into the grass/soil.............

i don't have any pics now and it could take a while for me to get one on the board.....................

 

[katharinad]

Be careful with scattering the food around, it can attract unwanted rodents like rats.

 

[JosieR]

I only feed my ducks at night, it's how I get them in their house. I have 5 ducks and I don't think they even 2.5 cups of food. I put their feed in, putter around, freshen their bedding, empty the water bowls around the yard, etc. They get about a half hour to eat what they want and then I remove it. In the morning they are let out early and given fresh water at 3 locations around the yard and they can eat whatever they can find.

I don't know that I would scatter food either. Maybe stand somewhere and throw a few peas (they have to run out to get the peas). Then wait until they come back to you and do it again? Start easy if they're really fat LOL Maybe just 1 or 2 times and build up to more, like an exercise routine for us.

How big is your pen? could you put the water and food at opposite ends so they have to walk back and forth between the 2 (exercise and more time for them to feel full?)

Do they forage at all? How much protein is in the food you're giving? Mine are not being bread for meet so I'm at about 15% I have them on Flock Raiser but I add oats to get it down to that.

 

[jmc]

total pen space is 7000 sq. ft. right now they only get half of it. sounds like josie r's birds get more food per bird than mine. they do plenty of running around, swimming, splashing, running away from hormonal males (!!), etc.

yeah, i'm not gonna bother with scattering it. but it is a neat thought, even though i wouldn't do it......

 

[Snakeman]

I have 16 ducks and 5 adult Muscovy as well as 5 young(2 weeks) Muscovy. Momma and her babies get "Blue Seal" starter crumbles. As much as they want. The 20 adult birds all get "Blue Seal" grower-cal.(15% protien) The young will be switched over at about 4 weeks. The 20 adults get fed twice a day and a treat in the middle on most days.
The adult pen does not have food or water so they are fed when they are let out in the morning. I use a quart size container, filled about 2 thirds too full, spread between 4 separate bowls, placed a few feet from their pools.(they have 3 pools of 3 different sizes) They freerange untill about 3 or 4 PM when I change the pools and they get a treat. The treats vary but amount to a few cups of peas or corn or a quarter to a half a watermellon or greens Etc.... At night about an hour before dark, they get fed again the same as in the morning and I put them in their pen around dark. One or 2 display a keel but for the most part they stay very healthy and if I see too much keel, I cut back on treats.

 

[sonew123]

ow this is bad. Now that this thread has pooped up ...I think my 1 male crested magpie is a fattie-we laugh because it looks like he drags his belly-It doesnt touch the ground but he waddles pretty good because of it. :-( I better get a good photo and you guys can tell me if he's to fat? Stupidly...I dont know what a keel is?