roaming free

[therealmotherhen]

hey guys, at what age should i start giving my ducks a different diet and letting them roam free? they’re getting older and bigger by the day but i just don’t want them to ingest something they shouldn’t or poop everywhere

 

[Ratchnick]

Supervised visits outside after a few weeks old is what i have done in the past. If its not to cold.

 

[therealmotherhen]

Supervised visits outside after a few weeks old is what i have done in the past. If its not to cold.

what about dieting? they’re currently on purinas flock raiser crumbles and i would like to change their diet as soon as i can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Why? keep them in it forever and just put out oyster shell once any females begin to lay. Can’t beat FR unless you go to duck feed

 

[therealmotherhen]

Why? keep them in it forever and just put out oyster shell once any females begin to lay. Can’t beat FR unless you go to duck feed

there’s no reason honestly i just want what’s best for them

 

[Miss Lydia]

Unless you want to then I’d just leave them on it. Only thing that would be a step up would be duck feed. Many of us have mixed flocks and Flock Raider feeds them all.

 

[Isaac 0]

hey guys, at what age should i start giving my ducks a different diet and letting them roam free? they’re getting older and bigger by the day but i just don’t want them to ingest something they shouldn’t or poop everywhere

The Purina raiser would be great just provide eggs shells or oyster shells on the side, no need to switch feeds. How old are you ducklings? I let mine free- range around 5-8 weeks or so.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are they going to be inside fencing once they are outside? Just know many of us free range but that comes with losses too since predators are always on the look out for a free meal.

 

[Isaac 0]

If you have lots of predators in your area you may want to wait later before you let them out, around 8-10 weeks would be good, On average, I lose one or two birds each year to predators. I do feel better knowing they died doing something they were meant to do rather than dying old in a small cage.

 

[Knighstar679]

I have taken my ducklings out to roam here and there as early as a week. But the weather was warm then. As in warmer than the brooder box so there was no worry about catching a chill. Still this early in the year I usually wait till three weeks then let them go out and play for 10-15 minutes depending on the temps.