Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[CelticOaksFarm]

CG, you should read up the reccomended feeding amount. Feeding just a few birds the 50lbs would go a long way. Remember adult ducks should be fed enough to clean up in 15 minutes or so.

 

[Chicken Crazy12]

Anyone use Purina duck grower? I was thinking about switching over to that. We don't really have a problem with angel wing around here and most of our ducks are raised on purina flock raiser, but I was thinking about switching to the grower since I found it in a feed store nearby.

 

[country_girl011]

CG, you should read up the reccomended feeding amount. Feeding just a few birds the 50lbs would go a long way. Remember adult ducks should be fed enough to clean up in 15 minutes or so.

no wonder my girls are chunky.
i mean they dont have full feed but i give them a small scoop of feed in the AM and they pick at it throughout the day between searching for bugs.
it usually lasts them all day and by pen in time it is gone,
the wild bird population has been helping them eat it as well, i think they just eat the corn and oats tho.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

CG we add whole oats and boss to most of the waterfowl. The alpha pellets are probably a good choice for winter greens. We don't use them since the Ross grows year round. I also add in some layer pellet (purina omega) to the pans. The mandarins get millet and other seeds also in their mix and no boss.

 

[country_girl011]

CG we add whole oats and boss to most of the waterfowl. The alpha pellets are probably a good choice for winter greens. We don't use them since the Ross grows year round. I also add in some layer pellet (purina omega) to the pans. The mandarins get millet and other seeds also in their mix and no boss.

i will look into the layer pellet.
right now its usuly some oats, a big scoop of horse sweet feed, 1 scoop of corn, and 3 scoops of flock raiser.
(winter it was 2 scoops of corn)
it has really made the feed go alot further, and i doubt the ducks eat much of the corn they hate it, if anything is left in their feeder its corn bcuz they pick through it.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

We did feed Nutrena al flock, but the supplier insisted on whole truck deliveries. After switching there was a noticeable difference in their feathers and over all look. The Mazuri is delivered to us twice a month and we never run out between deliveries. We average 100-150 lbs of it a month. That feeds all of the ducks and the geese and is blended with the above mentioned extras.

Geese eat very little as they should have open pasture to feed on all day. Our ducks eat, but not as much as you would think since they also get to run around bugging and what not.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Corn is bad for waterfowl. It causes weight gain and they pack weight on around the reproductive organs and can lower fertility greatly. Horse sweet feed has a high corn count and molasses. Molasses acts as a laxative and I would stay away from it with poultry and waterfowl. Oats, millet, and boss would help stretch the feed and add more nutrition.

 

[country_girl011]

We did feed Nutrena al flock, but the supplier insisted on whole truck deliveries. After switching there was a noticeable difference in their feathers and over all look. The Mazuri is delivered to us twice a month and we never run out between deliveries. We average 100-150 lbs of it a month. That feeds all of the ducks and the geese and is blended with the above mentioned extras.
Geese eat very little as they should have open pasture to feed on all day. Our ducks eat, but not as much as you would think since they also get to run around bugging and what not.

when the girls are ready to be out full time the plan was to let them freerange but we dont think the dogs will leave them alone so we are going to fence in a reall big area close to the duck pen and connect them so they both get out in a grassy area all the time.
and if all works ok i plan to let the girls out in the evening with me to take a walk to the orchird and graze. (this all depends on if the girls will cooperate with me)

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

LoL ducks seem to do what ducks want when they want, but with some training they catch on and learn the routine. Oh also look for items like red wheat and other whole grains. You can grow pans of rye grass during the winter too for them to snack on. Rye seed is cheap and easy to grow on large shallow pans like underfed plastic boxes.

 

[country_girl011]

Corn is bad for waterfowl. It causes weight gain and they pack weight on around the reproductive organs and can lower fertility greatly. Horse sweet feed has a high corn count and molasses. Molasses acts as a laxative and I would stay away from it with poultry and waterfowl. Oats, millet, and boss would help stretch the feed and add more nutrition.

i actually had a few people recemend putting sweet feed in the feed (dont remember who)
and the ducks havent had problems with it?
the way its mixed there very little of it in there,
but i will see about getting something else to put in there .