Waterfowl feed suggestions

[chickenandduckowner]

Hi all, ducks are currently 7 wees old and are eating Nature's Best Organic Duck Crumbles. My plan is to switch them to a feed specifically for ducks (not a layer feed) but a feed with around 1% calcium and 17ish% protein. It is important to me that the feed be soy free and at least non-gmo if it contains corn. I thought I had found a good feed option but overlooked the fact that the calcium content is 4%. Kind of sucks that it is so hard to find what I'm looking for. I am open to making my own duck feed if it's not too complicated and it can provide adequate nutrition. Hopefully at least a few people here have suggestions. Thanks!

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Making your own duck feed would be complicated but totally cool and worth it! I haven't ever seen what your looking for ... And if I did I'm sure it would be in the 50$ 70$ range. Making it yourself would be more cost effective, but ducks can eat layer feed and will produce beautiful eggs and it's by FAR cheaper. Ducks eat a lot too so but good luck!!

 

[chickenandduckowner]

Making your own duck feed would be complicated but totally cool and worth it! I haven't ever seen what your looking for ... And if I did I'm sure it would be in the 50$ 70$ range. Making it yourself would be more cost effective, but ducks can eat layer feed and will produce beautiful eggs and it's by FAR cheaper. Ducks eat a lot too so but good luck!!

Thanks for the info. Since I'm so new to the duck world am and very much still learning, here's my next question. If I do feed a layer feed to the ducks, am I able to keep them on it all the time or do I need to switch feeds in the fall/winter? I am looking for easy here and was hoping to find a food that I can feed them year round.

 

[chickenandduckowner]

Making your own duck feed would be complicated but totally cool and worth it! I haven't ever seen what your looking for .tiore cost effective, but ducks can eat layer feed and will produce beautiful eggs and it's by FAR cheaper. Ducks eat a lot too so but good luck!!

This is the food I was planning on switching them to. they say its for laying/non laying ducks but the calcium content is high. I should add my ducks are all female, in case that changes things. But this company told me you can start feeding this to ducks at 3 weeks old. Wouldn't the calcium content be toxic for ducks not laying? I want this feed to work. Hopefully you know a bit more about this than I. Thanks

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Thanks for the info. Since I'm so new to the duck world am and very much still learning, here's my next question. If I do feed a layer feed to the ducks, am I able to keep them on it all the time or do I need to switch feeds in the fall/winter? I am looking for easy here and was hoping to find a food that I can feed them year round.

Yup they can totally have that! But begin feeding it to them when they reach 4ish months. Ducks do appreciate a little bit more protein the chickens do so if you ever got dried mealworms they'll be a very healthy snack for them

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

This is the food I was planning on switching them to. they say its for laying/non laying ducks but the calcium content is high. I should add my ducks are all female, in case that changes things. But this company told me you can start feeding this to ducks at 3 weeks old. Wouldn't the calcium content be toxic for ducks not laying? I want this feed to work. Hopefully you know a bit more about this than I. Thanks

Hmmm. I do think that's a lot of calcium but if there saying it'll be fine I would just trust them ... If anything happens you can always sue them later joking but I would go with it

 

[chickenandduckowner]

Hmmm. I do think that's a lot of calcium but if there saying it'll be fine I would just trust them ... If anything happens you can always sue them later joking but I would go with it

Thanks for the info. So do I have to switch the food to a maintence food when they are not laying like the hatchery says to do?

 

[chickenandduckowner]

Thanks for the info. So do I have to switch the food to a maintence food when they are not laying like the hatchery says to do?

• 0-2 WEEKS OLD: 22-22.5% Waterfowl Starter Crumble — If you can't find a 22% starter feed, use a 20+% protein starter feed and use it for a full 4 weeks.
• 3 WEEKS THROUGH FIRST EGG: 17.5-19% Waterfowl Grower Crumble
• DURING EGG PRODUCTION: 17.5% Waterfowl Layer Pellet
• BETWEEN LAYING SEASONS: 14.5-16% Waterfowl Maintenance Pellet

This is the info from the hatchery

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

• 0-2 WEEKS OLD: 22-22.5% Waterfowl Starter Crumble — If you can't find a 22% starter feed, use a 20+% protein starter feed and use it for a full 4 weeks.
• 3 WEEKS THROUGH FIRST EGG: 17.5-19% Waterfowl Grower Crumble
• DURING EGG PRODUCTION: 17.5% Waterfowl Layer Pellet
• BETWEEN LAYING SEASONS: 14.5-16% Waterfowl Maintenance Pellet

This is the info from the hatchery

Sister this is insanely complicated why are you wanting this kind of food again? What do you gain? Im just wondering so I can help ya out

 

[chickenandduckowner]

Sister this is insanely complicated why are you wanting this kind of food again? What do you gain? Im just wondering so I can help ya out

Lol I do not want to get complicated like this which is why I want one food to start feeding them when they are mature and to keep feeding them at least until they are too old to lay eggs any longer. I think a 17% protein ration will be good for them year long even if they quit laying in the winter. But I read non laying ducks need only 1% calcium and if they get more calcium, it can cause kidney failure. Laying ducks need 3-4% calcium. So I'm wondering if the ducks do stop laying in the winter, will this feed provide a dangerous amount of calcium? I'm new here so I have no idea.