Too early to switch to Pellets?

[plasticlobster]

Hi all,

I've got a mixed flock of ducklings (2x rouen, 2x f&w indian runner, 4x khaki campbell) that are all between 4-5 weeks old (Exact hatch date unknown, but we established in another thread that the runners are probably up to a week younger than the rest). For the last week or so, I've been cutting their starter crumble with oats to lower the protein content while I finished out the bags. I went to my local grain mill, and they had purina duck grower (16% protein), and I bought a 40 pound bag. I opened it this morning, and they're pellets.

I put them in the feeder, and the khakis and rouens (who are very large at this point) went nuts for it. The runners pecked at it a bit and walked away. Is it too early at potentially 4 weeks old to be on pellets, particularly with the runners who are smaller? I tried putting some in my hand, and the runners did eat the pellets without problem (They'll eat anything out of my hand, up to and including my fingers if I left the hand down long enough).

Should I wet the pellets? Grind them up? Or are they fine with pellets at this age, and the runners will eventually figure out that's their food now?

 

[KaleIAm]

I assume the ducks are physically large enough to eat the pellets at this age, but they might just hate change and are rejecting the new food because new things are, "poison." After all they didn't eat it yesterday and they survived, right?

I would probably get them some of their old food and mix it together so you can transition them slower. If you can't do that I would try putting it in water or grinding it in a blender. Sometimes I can also get my ducks to try new things if I pretend to eat it, or if I put it in a bowl and put their favorite snack on top of it. For my ducks that snack is mealworms and tomatoes.

 

[Cecisflock]

I've been cutting their starter crumble with oats to lower the protein content

Why? just finish the bag...

potentially 4 weeks old to be on pellets

They may be too small ,but if they picked at it it makes me think they just need time to get used to it.

 

[Katicorn]

I assume the ducks are physically large enough to eat the pellets at this age, but they might just hate change and are rejecting the new food because new things are, "poison." After all they didn't eat it yesterday and they survived, right?

I would probably get them some of their old food and mix it together so you can transition them slower. If you can't do that I would try putting it in water or grinding it in a blender. Sometimes I can also get my ducks to try new things if I pretend to eat it, or if I put it in a bowl and put their favorite snack on top of it. For my ducks that snack is mealworms and tomatoes.

I like this idea. Its what you do for dogs when you change food. I plan to mix 50/50 starter and flock and decrease over time when we change over.

 

[cmom]

I would think it's ok since they did eat some with no problem. I would consider mixing it with their crumbles until the crumbles are gone. Good luck and have fun...

 

[plasticlobster]

Why? just finish the bag...

Because I wanted to lower their protein at 3-4 weeks, and I still had 10 pounds of starter feed left. I mixed the entire 10 pound bag with 2 pounds of oats and finished the bag. I'm also a sucker for the faces and end up giving them extra protein in the form of mealworms.

They may be too small ,but if they picked at it it makes me think they just need time to get used to it.

I think this turned out to be the case. I think I replaced the food just as the runners finished eating, so they weren't hungry. I waited an hour, heard the telltale signs that they're all up eating again, went and checked, and the runners were pigging out. I think we're okay.

 

[Sierra G]

It really depends on the size of the pellets. My ducks have been eating the smaller pellets that come in 5 pound bags since the day they hatched. By the time they're a month old they should be able to eat anything an adult duck will eat.

It may just be a matter of the taste. The suggestion of mixing feeds and adding treats to the feed are both good. But what your ducks consider treats may vary. Offer small amounts of new foods and see what they like. They're omnivores so while the will enjoy fresh peas, pumpkin, or watermelon they will eat things like cold scrambled eggs or dry cat food too. Treats should be offered by the handful though. They're for variety, not to replace the normal feed.

 

[Cecisflock]

Because I wanted to lower their protein at 3-4 weeks, and I still had 10 pounds of starter feed left

Just for next time- that is totally not needed, just finish the bag off. Mixing in something else can do more harm than good.

 

[plasticlobster]

Just for next time- that is totally not needed, just finish the bag off. Mixing in something else can do more harm than good.

Sorry, this is going to come off as more standoffish than I intend, so please don't take offense.

Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks (page 251) says "However, if you are raising your ducks for pets, breeding stock, or exhibition, and your duck starter/grower has more than 16 percent protein , the birds will normally live longer and have fewer leg and wing problems if their growth rate is slowed down by adding oats." There are 1,050 posts on this forum about cutting starter feed with oats and associating doing so with a lower incidence of angel wing and leg problems as well.

Next time, I will continue adding oats to my starter feed the way I did this time. I'm not doing "more harm than good." I'm doing exactly what the experienced authorities on raising ducks say to do.

 

[Sierra G]

Not standoffish, just defensive. And I think that's justified.

I'm not saying it's impossible that you aren't possibly doing some harm by mixing feed. But if you mix feed that is 16% protein with feed that is 22%, the protein content can't possibly be more than 22% or less than 16% no matter what ratio you're using. So if someone says you're doing more harm than good without explaining how you're doing harm your skepticism is more than justified. If you crowd source a solution you won't always get consensus. But as long as you get solutions that work for you the site has value.