Ran out of duck food can I feed just corn

[animal and duck lover]

I wouldn't leave perishable foods out for too long for ducks. Botulism would be a concern as well as mold since duck runs are usually fairly wet and moist add in some fairly warm temps and you could potentially have an issue greater than running out of food. I don't leave stuff out out for longer than an hour and if they haven't eaten it, it gets picked up.
I might offer the same foods another day to see if they want to give it a try, but I don't leave it in the run. Even with my chickens I don't leave food in the run.

I only keep dry food in their coop. Then outside I trash all the food daily and refill the next morning when I let them out. I never let them eat old food

 

[NatJ]

I wouldn't leave perishable foods out for too long for ducks. Botulism would be a concern as well as mold

Botulism is pretty unlikely. The toxin only forms when the bacteria grow somewhere without oxygen-- and anything exposed to the aie has enough oxygen that it's not a problem.

I agree that mold could be a concern, but mold usually requires several days to develop.

Most foods, even moist ones, should be fine if set out in the morning and left until evening.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Botulism is pretty unlikely. The toxin only forms when the bacteria grow somewhere without oxygen-- and anything exposed to the aie has enough oxygen that it's not a problem.

I agree that mold could be a concern, but mold usually requires several days to develop.

Most foods, even moist ones, should be fine if set out in the morning and left until evening.

http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/botulism

From the article:

How do Ducks Get Botulism?
Ducks can get botulism through eating or dabbling in contaminated soil, water, decaying matter, spoiled feed, or from eating maggots harboring C. botulinum toxins. Decaying animals or vegetation provide both a protein source as well as an anaerobic environment to C. botulinum. Botulism Type C spores exist along the bottoms of various water sources, which begin to thrive as oxygen levels drop and water temperatures rise.

See more at: http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/botulism

I do not leave certain foods out regardless. I would rather have a clean run and not take the chance that food would rot or mold. Mold can develop in as little as 24 hours. Botulism is very common in ducks. Treats are not needed, so it's not needed to leave the extras. Plus, if I missed something that they did not eat it could potentially become an issue. This has gotten a little off topic.

What the OP really needs is real feed for their ducks. With all the back and forth, they could have driven (or gotten a ride) to the store and back by now. ✌

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I only keep dry food in their coop. Then outside I trash all the food daily and refill the next morning when I let them out. I never let them eat old food

Honestly, that post wasn't directed at you, just sharing information that perishable food (like fresh fruit and veggies) should never be left out over a long period of time especially in a duck run. Ducks will take food and drop it in the wettest and muddiest areas and it may not get found - which could become an issue. I pick up any uneaten treats after an hour. It's not a hard and fast rule, it's just what I do.

 

[NatJ]

http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/botulism

From the article:

How do Ducks Get Botulism?
Ducks can get botulism through eating or dabbling in contaminated soil, water, decaying matter, spoiled feed, or from eating maggots harboring C. botulinum toxins. Decaying animals or vegetation provide both a protein source as well as an anaerobic environment to C. botulinum. Botulism Type C spores exist along the bottoms of various water sources, which begin to thrive as oxygen levels drop and water temperatures rise.

Oops, I forgot that you can get the anerobic environment with enough water, and ducks like to spread water around. Thank you for pointing that out.

What the OP really needs is real feed for their ducks. With all the back and forth, they could have driven (or gotten a ride) to the store and back by now. ✌

Yes, I agree that they need real duck food.

But they may have been able to type messages at times they could not go to the store. I certainly do plenty of typing when I have a few minutes here and there, but not enough time to go somewhere, so I assume other people sometimes do the same.

Treats are not needed, so it's not needed to leave the extras.

In general, I agree about treats not being needed.

In this exact case of no duck food, picky ducks, and various maybe-useful foods, I was thinking that leaving the cat food and any chopped veggies could be useful so the picky ducks have more chances to think about eating them. I thought the possible benefit might outweigh the risk, when the only other option seems to be cracked corn (which can be a fine ingredient for a duck diet, but is not at all suitable as the only food.)

(edited to combine two parts that somehow got split into separate posts.)

 

[Crazy Maizie]

But they may have been able to type messages at times they could not go to the store. I certainly do plenty of typing when I have a few minutes here and there, but not enough time to go somewhere, so I assume other people sometimes do the same.

Exactly. And, with that said sometimes I miss part of the convo (like the type of corn being fed and asking for clarification) as it is easy to do when taking a peak at byc on the phone and then responding to a post.
There are so many hours in a day. Part of caring for animals is to prioritize their needs before others. If it's difficult to get feed, planning ahead would be beneficial.

 

[Floof]

I'll be the dissenting voice: corn for 2 weeks won't kill them. They may stop laying and their molt will take longer but they won't die from it. We've had some lean times here and been faced with the choice of feeding animals or paying bills and the animals got whatever we could scrounge. The animals have all come through with no ill effects.