Question about starter feed.

[stormie]

I have a huge bag my friend gave me that she had from last year of feed. It is labeled 'Growth and Plumage' can I feed to newborns, or should I get starter?

 

[JessaLynn]

You should have medicated starter to protect them from disease.Also you might want to check that feed for mold.It will kill them! Good Luck!!

 

[mominoz]

No ,I don't think so--Everyone has said, and the books I read say not to feed medicated to geese and ducks , because they eat more than chicks and it gets too high of a concentration .

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Non-medicated or only with amprolium (sp).

you should get chick starter feed, though, so the protein and vitamin ratios are correct - especially with ducks and geese as they can get too much protein and develop angel wing.

meri

 

[stormie]

Ahh yes angel wing happened to two of our ducks last year. What can I do to avoid it? I know it has something to do with diet. When do I stop feeding them starter and switch to growth and plumage?

 

[Duck Keeper]

Ahh yes angel wing happened to two of our ducks last year. What can I do to avoid it? I know it has something to do with diet. When do I stop feeding them starter and switch to growth and plumage?

The day I noticed it forming on my goose, I begged my parents to buy cracked corn to mix in with their grower feed. The next day we bought it, mixed it, and within two days the wing was totally fine. To this day I buy cracked corn or chicken scratch to mix in.

When they start getting their feathers I guess.
We were given turkey feed by someone who thought they "rescued" a Canadian Goose (illegally of course) then 'released it back to the wild'. Sad situation...

Too high protien in their diet is basically the only factor I can suggest that would contribute to this condition. We dumped the feed out back.
Turkey feed is REALLY high in protien (if I recall correctly) and I don't need more problems! Lol.

 

[eggchel]

You can buy Waterfowl Starter. Mazuri brand produced by Purina.

 

[mothergoose]

With raising waterfowl you need a lower protien feed. We have had the best results with using purina non medicated start n grow. It is only 18% protien. The purina waterfowl starter is 26% protein and only suposed to feed it for 2 weeks then reduce to a lower protien but it is meant to be fed to meat ducks that are being raised for butcher...fast growth. Your pet and exhibition waterfowl need a lower protien for their slower growth rate so their feathers don't come in too fast. We had the occassional angle wing on all feeds we used with protien higher than 18%. Since we switched several years ago to the 18%, no anglewing.

Once our waterfowl are fully feathered out, we switch to a 20% gamebird/waterfowl pellet. They do fantastic on it.
Christie

 

[stormie]

Thanks for the help guys. Thank especially to Christie! I will try this plan and see how it works!

 

[mothergoose]

Your welcome.