Starter feed for Ducks?

[dacjohns]

Like I said. I probably would have done the same thing.

Wildlife, migratory birds, endangered species, and the like have some very particular laws pertaining to them. Unless there is an exemption it is against the law to clean out a bluebird box because you are destroying the nest and a bluebird is a migratory bird.

They don't all make sense.

I hope they make it and I hope they don't imprint too strongly on you. Remember they are wild animals and the urge to go with their kind may overpower any ties they have to you.

Are there any other wild ducks still around that they might go with?

Good luck.

 

[amysue2012]

Yes there are still wild ducks around. Im not tring to be rude but Im not sure if I want them to stay I want them to survive. I'm rather ignorant about ducks (trying to learn quickly) but I always thought they needed to migrate for survival.

 

[dacjohns]

I know next to nothing about wildlife rehab and getting critters reintegrated. I was thinking outloud about the possiblity of the ducklings reintegrating with the other ducks. I wouldn't know how to go about doing it though.

I'm sorry if I have made matters worse.

 

[amysue2012]

no no no sometimes thinking out loud is the best. Thank you

I was thinking of just letting them stay around in the yard with the heavy layers (which I dont have a top fence over) so when they wanted to fly away they could.

 

[dacjohns]

It might work.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
Chick starter works fine as long as it's non-medicated. Medicated fees kill ducks and geese.

I would not recommend gamebird starter as the protein is too high. Excess protein can cause slipped and angel wing.


Quote:
You should supplement the chick starter with brewer's yeast in order that they got adequate niacin in their diet, since chicken feed doesn't contain enough for a waterfow's needs.



Quote:
Absolutely not! I've lost more goslings and ducklings to drowning than anything. While they are fluffy, they simply sink and drown. So, after 3 weeks you can start giving then shallow water to clean in. But only do this supervised.

After 4 weeks and they are lagely feathered, then you can put swimming water out. Just be sure it's not deep enough they can drown (I put bricks in my waterer).

 

[amysue2012]

I got some regular gamebird feed, the bag says its ok for ducks starting at 0 age up to 15+. I'm still mixing it with hard boiled egg. I don't know what the protein amount of the feed is because they always rip it off at the feed store to scan the bar code. The protein amount isn't specificially wrote on the bag. Does this sound right? They both seem to be doing good. Do I need to change any thing else? They are sooo darn cute!

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

I encourage you to research later positions on feeding ducklings medicated feed. It's now generally accepted that feed medicated with Amprollium is acceptable, while bacitracin is not. I'm having great success this year using Amprollium medicated feed with ducklings of various ages. I'm not qualified to suggest others do so, but it's producing excellent results here. For many years I adhered to the nonmedicated only feed rule until I explored the new data on the subject.

 

[NYREDS]

In the past chick starters used Arsenic based medications as Coccidiostats-these medications were deadly for ducks.
Contemporary feeds use primarily Amprollium as a Coccidiostat. Amprollium is not harmful to ducks.
Not sure where bacitracin enters this discussion??

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Perhaps it shouldn't have. I just recalled that it was recommended against administering Bacitracin (Or something similar) to ducks. Apparently, some medicated starter feeds have the verboten ingredient included. Sorry if I muddied the water.