Vet Visit! New Food?

[Dandy's mom]

OK, so the word back from the vet is, that the chick grower with 18% protein was enough of everything but protein, so I bought a salmon dry cat food that has 32% protein in it. I give her 2 tablespoons of these small pellets in each 3/4 cup of her grower with 1/4 cup cut corn (non GMO) and she said that was good and should be fine. I should continue to watch her poop and weight. Both poop tests came back fine. (I was worried with it occasionally being bright lime green) But she's a healthy weight. I am still trying to get her to eat something other than her regular feed. So far I've tried all the veggies here in the feed advice, and she got tuna and salmon over the weekend. Spit both out.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

That's weird that the vet said the added corn was fine since that will cut the protein in any feed. I would add maybe peas since they have niacin and I haven't read that you are adding that and that is a nutrional need for ducks at all stages.
Why are you trying to get her to eat treats? Treats should be less than 10% of a diet anyway, if she doesn't want them I wouldn't force her to eat it.

 

[chickens really]

Your Duck is 4 months old and definitely doesn't need that High of protein. Mine are switched to Grower finisher at 3 weeks @16%..

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Here is a feed calculator which will show what to add or take away to achieve a certain percentage of protein:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/FeedConversion.cfm

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

A chart with nutritional requirements for ducks and geese:

http://www.metzerfarms.com/NutritionalRequirements.cfm

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Another chart:
https://www.nap.edu/read/2114/chapter/7

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

This info is nice as it is broken down with why:
https://www.forthebirdsdvm.com/pages/care-and-feeding-of-pet-ducks

 

[Dandy's mom]

That's weird that the vet said the added corn was fine since that will cut the protein in any feed. I would add maybe peas since they have niacin and I haven't read that you are adding that and that is a nutrional need for ducks at all stages.
Why are you trying to get her to eat treats? Treats should be less than 10% of a diet anyway, if she doesn't want them I wouldn't force her to eat it.

I wasn't trying to force her to eat treats so much, as trying to find healthy things I can give her to eat. She hates peas, along with a long list of other tried healthy stuff. I just wanted to get her added vitamins without having to add vitamins. It would also be nice since she's an inside duck to have something I can use to train her with. Like behavior rewards. Everything I read about training says use treats. Like wearing and getting used to her diaper harness and taking baths. (Only duck in the world that hates bath time)

 

[Dandy's mom]

In the duck section at the top there’s a collection of information you should read , it’s packed full of food ideas and diet requirementsView attachment 1516634

I read the duck diet part before I posted. I love all of the food ideas, and I'm trying them slowly. She really wants the stuff I know she shouldn't have, (my husband gave her a cheerio soaked in milk :/ because he didn't know) but I think it might be a texture thing. She loves warm melted cheese, but spits out the same cheese cold. She will eat granola soaked in my coconut milk (I gave her a piece from my bowl) and she loved that, but won't eat it without the coconut milk on it. (just wet with water or in her food dish) I offered just coconut milk and she wasn't interested.

 

[Dandy's mom]

Most duck owners here feed an all flock feed which is anywhere between 16% - 20% protein depending on the brand.
Chick starter is fine for protein. What it doesn't have is enough niacin for ducks. A feed geared towards all flocks will generally have the minimum amount of niacin for ducks.
Vets are great resources and should be consulted when needed, but animal nutrition is not a major focus in the program. I would consult Storey's guide for nutrional advice (as well as most duck owners on this forum) vs the vet.

She gave me a place to go for vaccines, said they were avian specific, so I might try that. Specially since I looked up the food she recommended and it's outrageous in price. My dandy is bougie, but not $65/bag bougie.