What do you feed grown ducks?

[rgn87]

Can dry dog food or cat food be a alternative to using waterfowl pellets? Also is chicken feed cheaper than waterfowl and if so is this a substitute also?

 

[Amiga]

Dry cat food is a reasonable addition to a well balanced duck ration during times of stress (cold, heavy egg laying time), according to Storey's Guide. It is not a replacement. Perhaps you can compare the ingredients and nutritional analysis of the duck ration to other foods, such as the dry kibble, and see what else you would need to add for complete nutrition.

 

[Wifezilla]

I feed my ducks game bird feed. They get some kind of greens every day. They LOVE dandelions. I also give them chopped cabbage, celery tops, leftover lettuce, etc... Basically whatever is left over from me cooking. I have also used them to clean out the freezer. I had some freezer burned shredded zucchini that they were more than happy to take care of for me once I thawed it in a bucket of warm water. They like the zucchini so much I am planting extra just for them. I also collect duck weed from a local pond and bring that to them.

 

[LittleSquidgenHome]

We feed a waterfowl pellet, less than 1/2 c. per bird per day in summer, and then they free range. In the winter we feed extra pellet and supplement with corn and cat or dog food since our barn isn't heated and they can use the extra calories. The difference in chicken pellet and waterfowl pellet is less than a dollar around here so we pay the extra for the proper nutrient balance.

Growing up my day free ranged our ducks and fed them dog food. They didn't appear to have any ill effects.

 

[rgn87]

I really appreciate all of your help!!! I may look around and see if I can find some deals on waterfowl food, cause my five go through a bag in about 5 mos. So that's only about twice a year I need to buy a bag, and I am hoping to sell eggs and ducklings to offset some of the price. My ducks thank you a lot. By the way the treats and supplements section is awesome on this site, I got a lot of ideas.

 

[destinduck]

I feed mine the mazuri like you and 15% layer pellet(Mash will work too its just messier)and corn and greens.but a buddy of mine just uses 15% layer pellets year round and does well also, so either will work. right now during breeding season I go to mazuri breeder,yes very exspencive but they like it a little better.I have only one place to get my food 1 -2 hrs away. As someone on here told me if you live near a feed mill you could get a custom blend dirt cheap but you may have to buy alot. But alas I do not

 

[GrannySue]

My ducks get 1/2 and 1/2 layer pellets and scratch (mixed whole grains). The chickens get the same mix, out of the same container.
Scratch used to be a lot cheaper but now there's less than 50c difference in a 50 lb bag.
All my critters free range. They used to eat grass - until they ate the lawn.

 

[ChickenToes]

Mine get layer feed. Sometimes I mix in some scratch or oats, sometimes I don't.

 

[CityChicker]

There is really nothing in Mazuri that is somehow magical and justifies the price (in my opinion). There are any number of feeds that are less than half the price that your birds should do great on, especially if they have access to forage. The only thing in Mazuri that is hard these days to get in other commercial feeds is the animal protein. That can be remedied though in any number of ways mentioned. Whether it is even necessary or not though is up to you to decide. A lot of people keep their ducks on plain ole layer pellets or something like Flock Raiser and their birds do fine.

 

[destinduck]

there is nothing magical about mazuri true .most feed bags will tell you the protein %,once again my buddy uses 15% CHICKEN LAYER PELLETS ONLY YEAR ROUND and they do fine!!!!!!!!.

. rgn87. I TOOwould love to find any WATERFOWL PELLETS where I live too . BUT the only WATERFOWL FEED I can get IS mazuri. GOD I wish it were cheaper. I buy it because it is MADE for WATERFOWL not CHICKENS.( just my opinion) Im not a feed maker so thats why I try to get food made for ducks. if you can free range your ducks that will lower your feed bill and they love greens.As for worrying about protein whether chicken or duck pellets try to stay between 14 to16% and 17 to 20% for breeding season. If you are doing egg production then also sprinkle some crushed oyster shells or some other source of calcium in their food every once in a while. just like citychicker said lots of cheap feeds that they will do fine on. Dont worry about it too much. As you can see with all the responses