The crumble vs the pellet

[Going Quackers]

In a rather odd frustrating moment, i ended up out of food, well that led me to not buy my typical flock raiser in a crumble form, as where i buy it was shut. I tracked down a duck/goose grower in a pellet form, now it's practically identical to my FR.. even the protein(18%) and the rest is min differences.

I think what surprised me most was how much less waste i had, i mean i like my flock raiser, it's great for multi age, multi type flocks but that crumble after there over 4wks is not needed and i was getting a lot of dust in my feeders... with 14 ducks pounding at a feeder no doubt, eh?

The ducks seem to eat it more easily too... i am not really sure if i will go back to the crumble flock raiser, seems wasteful, which is impractical with feeds costs being what they are.

Just an observation, i have been using my flock raiser crumble for quite awhile and not been unhappy with it, raised quite a few birds on it and i may defer back for young instead of a starter but it's been a rather enlightening change that i thought was worth sharing.

 

[ducklover87]

I deff agree to this post 100% also just like to add it seems mine "choke" more from the dusty crumbles than the pellets. By choke I mean that coughing neck jerking thing they do.

 

[Going Quackers]

I deff agree to this post 100% also just like to add it seems mine "choke" more from the dusty crumbles than the pellets. By choke I mean that coughing neck jerking thing they do.

I do know of what you mean, i think it's just more logical for the method in which ducks shovel their foods, obviously the very young need a crumble though, just been an interesting change, i really didn't give it much thought before.

 

[tull14]

I just switched mine to pellet today as I was finding waste with the crumble also. I have 14 ducks also 5 week old Pekin and 4 week old Mallards. I put a few pellets in my hand and it was almost like they didn't know what to do with it... is that normal? Like it would pop right out of their mouths.

 

[shicks0211]

I always switch to the pellets once they're 6 or 8 weeks old, less waste and they can pick it up better..and they eat every last drop in the bag..no dust to speak of. maybe yours are just too little to get it down? i did try to feed it to my 4 week old runners and switched back to crumbles for them for a couple more weeks because they weren't eating it like the crumbles. i'm guessing they're just too young because when i gave them the crumbles back they had no problem devouring it..

 

[tull14]

Yeah I don't know. Even my big pekins aren't too thrilled with it, maybe because its new? I'm going to keep it overnight and see how they do.

 

[tull14]

Yeah I don't know. Even my big pekins aren't too thrilled with it, maybe because its new? I'm going to keep it overnight and see how they do.

 

[Going Quackers]

Could be just because it's new, my youngest started at just over 4wks & seem fine, they all have adjusted to it well. Perhaps, keep trying ducks are routine animals and are no fan of change, mine still are giving me evils because i installed a big hanging feeder

I would suggest blending it with the current crumble however.