What do you feed your breeders?

[FenDruadin]

Do you feed your ducks something other than layer pellets when you are collecting eggs for hatching? Mine have been on layer pellets and free range (large pond, many acres to roam with weeds & plants and plenty of bugs), and I have never had trouble with hatching eggs from them, but I just had a rather poor hatch (76%, which I guess is sort of decent, but for me is disappointing--my previous two hatches were 90+%), and I'm wondering if it could be from diet.

What do you feed your breeders? Is there an easy way to improve their nutrition with food readily available at feed stores (stores around here do not carry duck-specific feeds)?

Thanks!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Mine get Layer pellets -with a little corn and wheat thrown in 3 times a day. They have the whole back yard during the day- and get fruit & vegetables most days as well. I also regularly dig for worms out in the garden for them. They have lucerne hay in the night pens as well - but I dont really know if they are eating any of it though. Once laying starts I put a little Vitamin supliment into the water every second or third night.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Layer pellets, extra calcium chips/grit, some scratch, and greens like grass or dandelion leaves.

 

[FenDruadin]

Cool. Thanks guys--sounds like yours are getting about what mine are. I just realized today, however, that for a while the ducks were getting their layer feed mixed with what turned out to be a bad batch of grower feed. Long story. But now I'm wondering: Is it possible that a bad batch of feed, mixed with regular good layer, could leave no symptoms in the adults but affect the quality of the babies and potentially cause hatch problems?

Of course, the bad feed is now all well disposed of, but if it was the feed, then I may have up to two more hatches from that time period.

Oh well. At least if that's it, I should have better hatches the rest of the year.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[PlumTuckered]

Mine get Layer Pellets, a bit of corn tossed in, fresh greens, ground oyster shell, and they free range on the pasture and pond and yards.

Michelle