Should I be free freeding?

[Buttercup725]

My ducklings are three weeks old, four weeks on Friday. I’ve been letting them free feed and on warmer days I’ll put them outside to explore and forage. I know they’re still growing (fast!) but should I continue to let them free feed or take their food out at night?

 

[BelovedBirds]

My ducklings are three weeks old, four weeks on Friday. I’ve been letting them free feed and on warmer days I’ll put them outside to explore and forage. I know they’re still growing (fast!) but should I continue to let them free feed or take their food out at night?

Gorgeous babies!
It's best imo to free feed 24/7 until they're around 6 weeks- but I personally chose to leave food overnight for a little longer.

Even now they're adults, I still basically free feed during the daytime. They get "breakfast" that lasts until noon, and then after that they get "dinner" to last until bedtime. I do this due to having very limited foraging right now.

 

[Buttercup725]

Gorgeous babies!
It's best imo to free feed 24/7 until they're around 6 weeks- but I personally chose to leave food overnight for a little longer.

Even now they're adults, I still basically free feed during the daytime. They get "breakfast" that lasts until noon, and then after that they get "dinner" to last until bedtime. I do this due to having very limited foraging right now.

Thank you! That’s what I was thinking but everything I read was conflicting.

 

[fatty and friends]

mine get food and water 24/7 and they'll be 4 years old in march! ducks need water all the time, even at night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Once they are 6 weeks old they can go all night without feed and water. Sure helps keep the mess down inside their coop.
Such precious little ones

 

[shawluvsbirds]

mine get food and water 24/7 and they'll be 4 years old in march! ducks need water all the time, even at night.

Once they are 6 weeks old they can go all night without feed and water. Sure helps keep the mess down inside their coop.
Such precious little ones

They only need access to water 24/7 if there is feed available.
I keep food and water free until they are fully feathered adults.
Adult birds can be locked up at night without food and water available.

 

[BelovedBirds]

They only need access to water 24/7 if there is feed available.
I keep food and water free until they are fully feathered adults.
Adult birds can be locked up at night without food and water available.

I agree, though if they're in a set up that allows water overnight with no issue, I'd keep water out overnight.
In some set ups, especially small ones, the water mess is too much.

For me, I give them water and a small amount of leftover feed for the night, but that's only because the nights are so long right now. Soon I'll be withholding feed and water overnight, until winter comes around again.

 

[SamLockwood]

I don't have ducks, but a mixed flock of guineas & chickens. I keep the feeders & waterers in the covered run and I make sure they're always partially full. I find there's much less squabbling over food than when it was just a couple of set feedings a day.

I don't notice them using much more feed than before: they'll usually tuck in first thing in the morning, and nip back in a couple of times a day when I let them out to free-range, then some of them will have a last snack before going to roost for the night.