Too early to switch to Pellets?

[plasticlobster]

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.

To be clear... This thread was about pellets. Previously I was using a 20% protein crumble. As they got older, I started mixing oats in to gradually lower the protein content. Around the 4/5 week mark (today, 5 weeks for the rouens and khakis, 4 for the runners), I switched to a grower that turned out to be pellets... Something I discovered when I opened the bag, and my question stemmed from that.

Mixing feeds together is one thing... Doing what Storey's guide, many threads on this forum, as well as so many web pages about raising ducks say to do isn't something I expected to get challenged about or explicitly told not to do when simply asking if it was too early for pellets (It wasn't. The ducks are loving them). To be abundantly clear:

Oats contain about 11% protein. My feed contained 20% protein. In a 10 pound bag, I put 2 pounds of oats. This means there was (10 lbs feed at 20% protein = 2 lbs of protein) and (2 lbs of oats at 11% protein = 0.22 lbs of protein). This makes 2.22 lbs of protein out of 12 lbs of total feed with oats (Or 18.5% protein). I further lowered it today to 16% by switching to the pellets and putting them on grower. This was the plan for my ducks from the beginning, and this is the plan in the future as well. They will be on this food until they start laying, at which point I will supplement further with higher protein and a source of calcium.

 

[Cecisflock]

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.

Oh my bad, that is very informative, I honestly just raise my ducklings the same way I do my baby chicks and I know you are not supposed to do that with chickens. My ducks are just food though...

 

[Cecisflock]

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%

this is true... I didn't think of that- math is hard. OP there is no need to be offended it was a simple mistake, I am a human too.