The Duck Thread

[magicdave]

Ducks are omnivores. They eat bugs along with grasses. If they had a sharp beak like chickens They would probably eat more nice.

 

[Julie Birb]

Wow, so it was one of my ducks! It looked like a duck bill on the mouse. 

Heehee. I like to think of them as webbed feeted raptors. I knew they ate frogs and fish but when I heard rodents it shocked me.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Why do they quack when you pick them up? Is it cuz they don't like it?

They usually don't quack at just being picked up. That's why I have to restrain them to make them uncomfortable enough to quack. I usually put my hands all the way around them so they can't flap around, then I hold them out away from my body. That usually gets them to make whatever noise they're going to make because most ducks hate for their feet to dangle. It makes them feel insecure when they don't have solid footing.

 

[magicdave]

I buy my feed from a local producer. I never but from the big corporate junk producers. My feed is made by a family that has been raising all sorts of poultry for 5 generations. Their feed is certified organic by NOFANY. I only but locally (within 100 miles). I also grow greenery that is particularly nutritious for water fowl and pasture grass for the chickens. My ducks love dandelions and I have been planting a few varieties of Romaine lettuce for the last three years. Chicory, dandelions, romaine are all extremely nutritious greens for ducks and geese.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

We got some rain today, the ducks are so excited. Has anyone seen their duck eat a mouse? Or kill one? I think my duck killed one and didnt eat it. : /

Yes, like Julie was saying, there's been a lot of talk lately about ducks eating frogs and mice. I'm glad none of mine have ever done that (as far as I know). It kind of grosses me out. LOL.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I buy my feed from a local producer. I never but from the big corporate junk producers. My feed is made by a family that has been raising all sorts of poultry for 5 generations. Their feed is certified organic by NOFANY. I only but locally (within 100 miles). I also grow greenery that is particularly nutritious for water fowl and pasture grass for the chickens. My ducks love dandelions and I have been planting a few varieties of Romaine lettuce for the last three years. Chicory, dandelions, romaine are all extremely nutritious greens for ducks and geese.

My ducks love dandelions, too, as long as I pull them, chop them up, and put them in a food dish.

 

[Blue Godz]

I am building a flock of golden cascades for eggs. According to Dave Holderread they can lay 360+ eggs per year. I expect my Anconas to average 5 per week which is okay right now. I get the same production from my runners which is enough to full my orders for eggs. As my customer base grows I will need better production. I am only going to raise 3 breeds. Golden Cascade for eggs. Anconas for dual purpose, and Silver Appleyard for meat. I am also starting a flock of Buff geese.

I hadn't ever heard of golden cascades before.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I hadn't ever heard of golden cascades before.

The Holderreads developed those back in the early 80s I think, then stopped breeding them for around 18 years up until around 4-5 years ago. I don't think I've ever seen anything that said why they stopped breeding them.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Thanks... I asked twice in the over in the feed forum, but never got an answer. I feed mine a turkey starter, which I think has more niacin than chick starter, so maybe that's why I don't see leg problems in mine?

-Kathy

Well, I've looked over so many charts and done so many calculations that I feel like I could go for a slice of German Chocolate cake. Someone please tell my hubby Scott to go get me one.

I have no answer on the PFR feed. What they call a nutritional analysis on their website is lousy, and I assume it's no better on the bag. I do not understand this since there's a real nutritional analysis of the feed I use, which is also a Purina feed, just one of the premium ones. There's a thing on the part of the site where PFR is listed where you can send them a question, but I chose not to do that because I don't want them sending me a bunch of emails asking me to buy their stuff.

The info in that great link you posted from the Avian Medicine site corresponds with what Dave Holderread recommends. What's on the Metzer site is too low for ducklings but looks okay for grown ducks. I'd want to see a nutritional breakdown of the PFR before I would feed it to ducklings. That doesn't mean it couldn't be fed to them, just that it might need to be supplemented with BY or with a poultry vitamin mix in the drinking water.

I don't have leg problems, either, but the feed we use has the higher amount of niacin that's recommended. Do you know how much there is in your turkey starter? I know nothing about raising turkeys or what's in their feed.

 

[magicdave]

I hadn't ever heard of golden cascades before.

Dave Holderread developed the breed. Holderread Waterfowl Farm.