Runner ducks - daily feeding amounts

[Isaac 0]

I prefer to establish a more natural cycle and fill the feed bowl just enough to last them into the evening, so very little food is available during nighttime. The amount of concern In which you put into figuring out these decisions increases when birds are being confined in small spaces as the chance of overeating, and obesity increases.

Something seen, predominantly, with heavyweight breeds is health issues correlated with a high caloric intake with no exercise. Over time, fat can build up in the liver, causing hepatic lipidosis. Triglycerides can accumulate in the arterial wall, resulting in atherosclerosis. Understand these concerns when forming a diet for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Don’t think I’ve ever seen an over weight Runner, not saying that couldn’t happen but mine get a lot of exercise and they are always busy.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here’s Pearl trying to get to the bottom of things

 

[igorsMistress]

I’ve been looking into what age I should go ahead and remove the food and water from the duck house at night. The girls are only six weeks old and I’m not sure I actually should take water away completely in my climate. Sometimes the overnight lows are still near 100* until well after midnight. Still debating with myself on that one.

 

[Aunt Angus]

This is all very helpful to me. I am getting ducks for the first time next month. I have a big chicken yard they will be sharing with my chickens (hence the name "chicken yard" haha!). once they're old enough, I was planning on keeping food 24/7 in the covered run because of the chickens, but not in the duck house. I do not want to overfeed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I take food an water away at 6 weeks but I don’t have temps Ike you at night. Might be a good idea to have water over night with those temps? Are you planning on using a fan in the coop? I do you a fan in summer on a timer. I bought one specifically for barn use it has an enclosed motor. Have you tried placing the water bucket on something to catch drips?

 

[igorsMistress]

I take food an water away at 6 weeks but I don’t have temps Ike you at night. Might be a good idea to have water over night with those temps? Are you planning on using a fan in the coop? I do you a fan in summer on a timer. I bought one specifically for barn use it has an enclosed motor. Have you tried placing the water bucket on something to catch drips?

I haven’t put the bucket on/in anything yet but I have some big bowls I can put it in once the girls are bigger. The mess is really limited with the lid on though. I have two options for them and I’m not sure which will be best in summer. The smaller of the two structures is nice and warm in winter because it gets direct sun in the afternoon but it still has good ventilation and the entrance is at ground level. However, I’ve wet it down in there before during the summer and it can stay pretty humid at times with the heat. The big coop is more than twice as large, it’s very easy to dry out with fans and I can put a fan in to move air out. However it needs a ramp because they have trouble getting in and out with the entrance being about 8 inches off the ground.

 

[Miss Lydia]

3 of my coops have ramps just as long as they aren’t to steep and you make the ramp wide enough they will do fine with a ramp. I use a tray that goes under a washing machine to sit my feed bowls on out side that way any feed spilled is easier to clean up. Inside when we get a lot of snow an frigid temps and I set up feed an water mainly for my little bantams that don’t like to go out, I put the bucket inside a larger container to catch any spilled water helps keep the water off the bedding and vinyl flooring.

 

[JNC]

Am I over feeding my ducks? I give them about 8-10oz each but it’s all gone by 3pm

 

[Miss Lydia]

How old are your ducks. Breeds. https://www.backyardchickens.com/hredirect2.php?c=7207150. May help you decide how yours are weight wise.