Purina Duck Feed Pellets

[chickens really]

If you search you will find places that sell livestock feed. Not big hardware stores. Feed is cheaper.

 

[CarolinaQuackers]

My feed store has scratch that has oats and wheat in it. some scratch is just cracked corn so read the ingredients.

Is this ok to give them at 6 weeks old? or should I just buy a big bag of the oats

 

[Miss Lydia]

You may be able to find scratch grains with oats and wheat in it so you don't have to buy individual bags of grains check around at feed stores close to you. At 6 weeks they can have yes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

No need to buy different grains unless you want to be very specific but if just wanting to add some variety to their diet like oats and wheat then there maybe a scratch grains with it already in it. Maybe Calls can't have something other ducks can I haven't ever had any problems with mine feeding them some extra oats or wheat. It's not their sole diet.

 

[chickens really]

Yep..Miss Lydia is a great source on Duck nutrition...

 

[Miss Lydia]

So is chickens really only difference is 2 different countries which makes it difficult when trying to find certain feeds or grains at times.

 

[Pak Rat]

It seems as though there are very limited options for duck feed out there. I've personally been very disappointed with the selection.

Something people often miss is that not only do certain nutrients effect our bodies in various ways, but specific sources of nutrients and wholefood nutrient combinations have profound effects on our health. The same goes for ducks and any other kind of animal.
Basically, protein content is one thing, but the types of protein (its sources) is even more important. (A good example is milk protein vs. soy protein. Experiments and real-world medical studies have shown that even modest variations in consumption of these different proteins effect overall health, energy, longevity, and even cancer rates in astonishing and predictable ways. It's not new knowledge, but it is something most people have little awareness of.) The same can be said of calcium and pretty much all nutrients we tend to overfocus on, rather than seeing the whole food picture.

The main reason I bring this up is because I suspect that the crude analysis for protein (for a duck, 15-17% considered ideal, but many commercial foods containing around 20%) isn't near as important as where those proteins are coming from (and their bioavailability-how easily they are absorbed by the body(example: feathers are loaded with protein! Some pet foods use poultry byproducts, which help their crude analysis for protein, but may be full of feathers, which have no bioavailability- basically junk.)). ALL plants (and of course all animal products)contain protein, and processed foods often have an unnaturally high protein concentration. Keeping protein % below a certain threshold is more difficult than it sounds, and probably nearly irrelevant. The more important question is what ingredients are being consumed.

So far, I haven't found a food that I'm willing to feed my ducks exclusively. They get a freshly made salad every day, made with a variety of vegetables and a few whole grains. They get pellets as a treat, and as a convenience food.
Not to say it's unreasonable to feed an exclusively pellet diet (in addition to grazing), it's just not the healthiest option.
Many foods are made primarily with highly processed grains, so it's basically as bad as bread, but then various missing nutrients are sprinkled in, and ta-da it's basically bread with a ducky multivitamin mixed in.
On top of that, there are those that contain unsavory mystery ingredients like animal byproducts(a.k.a. animal protein, meat meal, etc.), which in its raw form is such trash that you would never willingly give it to your birds.
I've also seen cow milk ingredients in duck food. Since when is any mammal milk a suitable part of a duck's staple diet? (If you're thinking calcium, think again. A chain reaction is triggered after consumption which actually acidifies the body and drives up the need for calcium beyond what can be extracted from the milk, and it's often leeched from the bones, used to balance the body's pH, and then excreted, causing calcium deficiency and overtime even bone disorders, the exact opposite effect of conventional knowledge. It can be easily tested. After milk product consumption, calcium content of bodily excretions increases instantly and dramatically...Broccoli, among many other vegetables, is a superior source of calcium and loads of other phytonutrients.) Long-term health isn't in mind with these products, a highly profitable (made as cheaply as possible) feed that will fatten up the flock is pretty much the driving idea behind many pellet diets.

Here is a list of commercial duck foods and their ingredients

Purina Flock Raiser Pellets/Crumbles
grain products, plant protein products, processed grain by-products, lignin sulfate, molasses products, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, salt, DL-methionine, L-lysine, magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, choline chloride, yeast extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, manganese sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K), vitamin d3 supplement, calcium pantothenate, vitamin E supplement, natural flavor, biotin, vitamin A supplement, dried chicory root, folic acid, organic soybean oil, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus lichenitormis fermentation product, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, zinc sulfate, sodium selenite, basic copper chloride

Purina Duck Feed Pellets
Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles, Lignin Sulfonate, Wheat Middlings, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine, Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Yeast Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Yucca schidigera Extract, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Dried Yeast, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Dried Chicory Root, Organic Soybean Oil, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K), Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Colored with Iron Oxide, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate

Manna Pro Duck Layer Pellets
Processed grain by-products, grain products, plant protein products, calcium carbonate, forage products, sodium bentonite, dried whey, vegetable oil, salt, choline chloride, propionic acid (a preservative), dl-methionine, l-lysine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous carbonate, manganous oxide, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc oxide, niacin supplement copper sulfate, biotin, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin B12 supplement, Vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione dimethylprimidinol bisulfite, Vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate folic acid, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation solubles, dried bacillus lichniformis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus amyloliquefaciens fermentation solubles, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation solubles, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, and dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product

Manna Pro All Flock Crumbles
Processed grain by-products, grain products, calcium carbonate, plant protein products, sodium bentonite, salt, choline chloride, propionic acid (a preservative), dl-methionine, l-lysine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous carbonate, manganous oxide, vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc oxide, niacin supplement, copper sulfate, biotin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione dimethylprimidinol bisulfite, vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, cobalt carbondate, calcium iodate, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation solubles, dried bacillus lichniformis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus amyloliquefaciens fermentation solubles, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation solubles, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, and dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product

Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance
Ground corn, wheat middlings, dehulled soybean meal, ground oats, fish meal, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, soybean oil, salt, brewers dried yeast, cholecalciferol, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K), preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), rosemary extract, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (form of vitamin E), vitamin A acetate, citric acid, biotin, choline chloride, tagetes (Aztec marigold) extract (color), calcium pantothenate, nicotinic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, l-lysine, dl-methionine, riboflavin, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate

Mazuri Diving Duck Diet
Fish meal, wheat middlings, ground wheat, dehydrated alfalfa meal, ground Timothy hay, corn gluten meal, ground corn, porcine(pig) meat and bone meal, ground flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, dried plain beet pulp, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, shrimp meal, salt, fish oil, magnesium oxide, l-lysine, choline chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, preserved with mixed tocopherols, vitamin D3 supplement, rosemary extract, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (form of vitamin E), biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K), manganous oxide, citric acid (a preservative), vitamin A acetate, zinc methionine complex, zinc oxide, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, nicotinic acid, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, basic copper chloride, sodium selenite

Nutrena Naturewise All Flock Poultry Feed
I can't seem to find an ingredient list for this one

There may be more prepared duck diets that I am not finding. I will add them if I do. I did not include duck treats or wild duck food because they are not formulated to be complete diets.

note: a "meal" is a rendered product. ex: "fish meal" is rendered fish. Rendering is a cooking process which requires very high temperatures, and often the product is subjected to the cooking process repeatedly. This cooks out most nutrients, water and fat, and leaves behind a powder high in protein and some minerals. Rendering is one way to make otherwise unusable materials usable. In the fish example, it would be comprised of fish slaughter trimmings and byproducts as well as by-catch(animals that were killed accidentally during the capture of "food fish"). Literally anything and everything that doesn't make it to market.
Plant meals, on the other hand, are produced less intensely because there is no need for such an extensive cooking process. They're basically dried and ground. It's still a processed food, though, and not as healthful as the whole plant/grain.

The whole picture is frustrating enough to make someone contemplate designing and manufacturing their own duck pellets.
I believe there will come a poultry food revolution, similar to the ones we've seen and continue to see with dog, cat, ferret, and other animal foods. We started out with very few options, and they were far from ideal, and granted, there is still garbage out there passing for nutritious, but there is now high-quality food in many forms and we're seeing new advancements all the time.
And, lest we forget, there is always the option to mix fresh food at home.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

It seems as though there are very limited options for duck feed out there. I've personally been very disappointed with the selection.

Something people often miss is that not only do certain nutrients effect our bodies in various ways, but specific sources of nutrients and wholefood nutrient combinations have profound effects on our health. The same goes for ducks and any other kind of animal.
Basically, protein content is one thing, but the types of protein (its sources) is even more important. (A good example is milk protein vs. soy protein. Experiments and real-world medical studies have shown that even modest variations in consumption of these different proteins effect overall health, energy, longevity, and even cancer rates in astonishing and predictable ways. It's not new knowledge, but it is something most people have little awareness of.) The same can be said of calcium and pretty much all nutrients we tend to overfocus on, rather than seeing the whole food picture.

The main reason I bring this up is because I suspect that the crude analysis for protein (for a duck, 15-17% considered ideal, but many commercial foods containing around 20%) isn't near as important as where those proteins are coming from (and their bioavailability-how easily they are absorbed by the body(example: feathers are loaded with protein! Some pet foods use poultry byproducts, which help their crude analysis for protein, but may be full of feathers, which have no bioavailability- basically junk.)). ALL plants (and of course all animal products)contain protein, and processed foods often have an unnaturally high protein concentration. Keeping protein % below a certain threshold is more difficult than it sounds, and probably nearly irrelevant. The more important question is what ingredients are being consumed.

So far, I haven't found a food that I'm willing to feed my ducks exclusively. They get a freshly made salad every day, made with a variety of vegetables and a few whole grains. They get pellets as a treat, and as a convenience food.
Not to say it's unreasonable to feed an exclusively pellet diet (in addition to grazing), it's just not the healthiest option.
Many foods are made primarily with highly processed grains, so it's basically as bad as bread, but then various missing nutrients are sprinkled in, and ta-da it's basically bread with a ducky multivitamin mixed in.
On top of that, there are those that contain unsavory mystery ingredients like animal byproducts(a.k.a. animal protein, meat meal, etc.), which in its raw form is such trash that you would never willingly give it to your birds.
I've also seen cow milk ingredients in duck food. Since when is any mammal milk a suitable part of a duck's staple diet? (If you're thinking calcium, think again. A chain reaction is triggered after consumption which actually acidifies the body and drives up the need for calcium beyond what can be extracted from the milk, and it's often leeched from the bones, used to balance the body's pH, and then excreted, causing calcium deficiency and overtime even bone disorders, the exact opposite effect of conventional knowledge. It can be easily tested. After milk product consumption, calcium content of bodily excretions increases instantly and dramatically...Broccoli, among many other vegetables, is a superior source of calcium and loads of other phytonutrients.) Long-term health isn't in mind with these products, a highly profitable (made as cheaply as possible) feed that will fatten up the flock is pretty much the driving idea behind many pellet diets.

Here is a list of commercial duck foods and their ingredients

Purina Flock Raiser Pellets/Crumbles
grain products, plant protein products, processed grain by-products, lignin sulfate, molasses products, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, salt, DL-methionine, L-lysine, magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, choline chloride, yeast extract, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, manganese sulfate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K), vitamin d3 supplement, calcium pantothenate, vitamin E supplement, natural flavor, biotin, vitamin A supplement, dried chicory root, folic acid, organic soybean oil, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus lichenitormis fermentation product, cobalt carbonate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide, zinc sulfate, sodium selenite, basic copper chloride

Purina Duck Feed Pellets
Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles, Lignin Sulfonate, Wheat Middlings, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine, Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Yeast Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Yucca schidigera Extract, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Dried Yeast, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Dried Chicory Root, Organic Soybean Oil, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K), Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus licheniformis Fermentation Product, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Colored with Iron Oxide, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate

Manna Pro Duck Layer Pellets
Processed grain by-products, grain products, plant protein products, calcium carbonate, forage products, sodium bentonite, dried whey, vegetable oil, salt, choline chloride, propionic acid (a preservative), dl-methionine, l-lysine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous carbonate, manganous oxide, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc oxide, niacin supplement copper sulfate, biotin, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin B12 supplement, Vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione dimethylprimidinol bisulfite, Vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate folic acid, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation solubles, dried bacillus lichniformis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus amyloliquefaciens fermentation solubles, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation solubles, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, and dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product

Manna Pro All Flock Crumbles
Processed grain by-products, grain products, calcium carbonate, plant protein products, sodium bentonite, salt, choline chloride, propionic acid (a preservative), dl-methionine, l-lysine, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous carbonate, manganous oxide, vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, zinc oxide, niacin supplement, copper sulfate, biotin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, menadione dimethylprimidinol bisulfite, vitamin D3 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, cobalt carbondate, calcium iodate, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation solubles, dried bacillus lichniformis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation solubles, dried bacillus amyloliquefaciens fermentation solubles, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation solubles, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, and dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product

Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance
Ground corn, wheat middlings, dehulled soybean meal, ground oats, fish meal, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, soybean oil, salt, brewers dried yeast, cholecalciferol, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K), preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), rosemary extract, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (form of vitamin E), vitamin A acetate, citric acid, biotin, choline chloride, tagetes (Aztec marigold) extract (color), calcium pantothenate, nicotinic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, l-lysine, dl-methionine, riboflavin, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate

Mazuri Diving Duck Diet
Fish meal, wheat middlings, ground wheat, dehydrated alfalfa meal, ground Timothy hay, corn gluten meal, ground corn, porcine(pig) meat and bone meal, ground flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, dried plain beet pulp, soybean oil, calcium carbonate, shrimp meal, salt, fish oil, magnesium oxide, l-lysine, choline chloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, preserved with mixed tocopherols, vitamin D3 supplement, rosemary extract, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (form of vitamin E), biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K), manganous oxide, citric acid (a preservative), vitamin A acetate, zinc methionine complex, zinc oxide, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, nicotinic acid, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin supplement, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, basic copper chloride, sodium selenite

Nutrena Naturewise All Flock Poultry Feed
I can't seem to find an ingredient list for this one

There may be more prepared duck diets that I am not finding. I will add them if I do. I did not include duck treats or wild duck food because they are not formulated to be complete diets.

note: a "meal" is a rendered product. ex: "fish meal" is rendered fish. Rendering is a cooking process which requires very high temperatures, and often the product is subjected to the cooking process repeatedly. This cooks out most nutrients, water and fat, and leaves behind a powder high in protein and some minerals. Rendering is one way to make otherwise unusable materials usable. In the fish example, it would be comprised of fish slaughter trimmings and byproducts as well as by-catch(animals that were killed accidentally during the capture of "food fish"). Literally anything and everything that doesn't make it to market.
Plant meals, on the other hand, are produced less intensely because there is no need for such an extensive cooking process. They're basically dried and ground. It's still a processed food, though, and not as healthful as the whole plant/grain.

The whole picture is frustrating enough to make someone contemplate designing and manufacturing their own duck pellets.
I believe there will come a poultry food revolution, similar to the ones we've seen and continue to see with dog, cat, ferret, and other animal foods. We started out with very few options, and they were far from ideal, and granted, there is still garbage out there passing for nutritious, but there is now high-quality food in many forms and we're seeing new advancements all the time.
And, lest we forget, there is always the option to mix fresh food at home.

Hello!
I know I am answering this thread a couple of years late, but if you have chickens, I recommend you try Conway Feeds. They are located in Washington, all of their feeds are made in Washington, and they have wonderful ingredients.