What Do you feed your ducks?

[seasprite]

Hi Anniekc

I'm no expert, but since nobody else has chimed in.. I've been to two feed stores here looking for duck food with no luck, but they both told me to feed "broiler" chicken feed, because it has more protein, which duckies need. Mine have been on that since I've had them, but it's only been about two months so I can't really say how it works out in the long run. I found this thread because I'm trying to figure out something better.




Right now mine are on Scratch and Peck broiler chicken food. It's the only non-gmo feed I could find, but it isn't vegetarian, and it has a smell that I really can't stand - the girls aren't crazy about it either. Is anyone making their own duck feed? I found a recipe here but I don't understand all the ingredients...

"3.5 lbs fishmeal
1.5 lbs of Poultry Nutri Balancer
.5 lbs of Kelp meal
5 lbs of Aragonite
1 lbs of either Molasses or vegetable oil
(he said its best to use vegetable oil with waterfowl)
Add above to 50 lbs of scratch grains or small grain blend.
Example: scratch grains or better yet a combo of 50% wheat/25% oats/25% barley.
You only need to add fishmeal during pre-lay and lay periods."

(lay and pre-lay periods?)

The first ingredient listed in Scratch and Peck is organic peas, which makes sense since they're so high in protein.

I would love to do fermented grains for them, maybe ground into meal. They free range and feast on slugs all day, so lately not much duck food is being eaten anyway, but I'd like to have it worked out before they eat all the slugs! Okay in my yard, that could never happen, but I should work it out before winter

It seems like lots of people are making and sprouting their own chicken feed - my neighbor says she's never bought commercial food for her chickies - and if our ducks are eating chicken feed anyway, it seems like we should be able to also!

 

[LittleBlu]

What about raisins? I haven't seen anything about good or bad or what ages.

 

[quakkers]

Hi Ya Duck Whisperer,
I have 3 Scovies that eat chook food and no probs so far , they also get( being ducks and chooks) wheat morning and night plus oats mixed with rice and lentals cooked to a stiff porrage concistancy, gotta fight them off at tea time . hope this helps , i probably just spoil them

regards Quakkers,

 

[randomjacqui]

Hi chicken peeps
Help please
This week a duck has moved in to our chicken coop ... No one seams to know who it belongs to ...but I'm not sure what to feed it I have seen it eat the chicken food and worms and I have also been given it wet bread but what are they ment to eat as I'm worried it's not eating enough and if I'm given it the right stuff ....
Our chickens have fresh cooked veg most days ,home grown corn ,cooked egg , pasta ,bread ,rices fruit and pellets mixed corn ,
Not all in one day but part of what I give them is this ok for the duck

Jacqui

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi chicken peeps
Help please
This week a duck has moved in to our chicken coop ... No one seams to know who it belongs to ...but I'm not sure what to feed it I have seen it eat the chicken food and worms and I have also been given it wet bread but what are they ment to eat as I'm worried it's not eating enough and if I'm given it the right stuff ....
Our chickens have fresh cooked veg most days ,home grown corn ,cooked egg , pasta ,bread ,rices fruit and pellets mixed corn ,
Not all in one day but part of what I give them is this ok for the duck

Jacqui

Just a very small amount of bread and pasta should be in the ducks diet. actually in any poultry's diet. First they should get a balanced diet of feed formulated for poultry then added veggies and fruit and mixed corn. My chickens love cooked egg but my ducks don't care for it at all. I haven't ever feed rice cooked or raw. Ducks will forage just l;ike the chickens but during fall and winter as you know most of the good foraging is not so good, so making sure they have a good diet over the lean months is a must. I think I read you think this is a Muscovy? My Flock also loves dried meal worms which they get as a treat in the afternoons I just toss over the ground and they go nuts,. Can you post some pics of your new duck?

 

[randomjacqui]

Thank you for your help I think I will need to read up on her as I have never had ducks before ..... Is she ok to sleep in with the chickens do you think ....or should I keep her in her own coop ....humm or get another Muscovy ..... To keep her company .... Will. She need a little pond or pool as I have a pool she can play in .....she has such a cute but cheeky face I will put more pics up when I can
Oh all these questions lol ......
Thanks again

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for your help I think I will need to read up on her as I have never had ducks before ..... Is she ok to sleep in with the chickens do you think ....or should I keep her in her own coop ....humm or get another Muscovy ..... To keep her company .... Will. She need a little pond or pool as I have a pool she can play in .....she has such a cute but cheeky face I will put more pics up when I can
Oh all these questions lol ......
Thanks again

Being it's a she of course she can sleep with the chickens as long as they aren't picking on her, sometimes chickens can be hateful so keep AN eye on that for a while. I love their faces she is adorable I saw her on another of your posts. Of course i am a bit partial since i have 13 Muscovy's. lol She can play in a kiddy pool and will love that, I am betting at some point you'll want another but bear in mind if you decide on a drake you should have at least 2 ducks or more to keep him for over mating one. More pics when you get time.

 

[Carisblues]

I've been searching this thread and other places, and I was wondering if laying ducks would need added oyster shell if being fed a flock raiser? My crazy Welsh Harlequins are laying straight through the winter, and they are housed with the drakes. I am using up the last of my breeder feed from Mazuri and would like to switch over to a flock raiser to avoid shipping expenses, also to keep the drakes from too much breeder feed (didn't think I would need till Spring), but have not seen anywhere about having oyster shell or some other form of calcium available for the ducks during lay? Do you or anyone else know about this, as there are few bugs when it's cold?
Also, is there much difference between the Purina Flock Raiser and Nutrina brand? Thanks for any help.

 

[CGinJCMO]

I've been searching this thread and other places, and I was wondering if laying ducks would need added oyster shell if being fed a flock raiser? My crazy Welsh Harlequins are laying straight through the winter, and they are housed with the drakes. I am using up the last of my breeder feed from Mazuri and would like to switch over to a flock raiser to avoid shipping expenses, also to keep the drakes from too much breeder feed (didn't think I would need till Spring), but have not seen anywhere about having oyster shell or some other form of calcium available for the ducks during lay? Do you or anyone else know about this, as there are few bugs when it's cold?
Also, is there much difference between the Purina Flock Raiser and Nutrina brand? Thanks for any help.

I too would like to know. The ducks are supposed to be my 15 (almost 16) yr old son's but I keep having to tell him to feed them and most importantly fill their water bowls before leaving for school (now that winter's here, their pool is empty). I wanted him to do the research and have the knowledge but I don't think he has. We started getting eggs from one of the girls then she quit. Are ducks like chickens in the amount of sunlight that they need to produce eggs? Need calcium? Need more protein?

CG

 

[Going Quackers]

I would most definitely put out free choice oyster shell, i always do. I will not use layers here i keep to many male birds and young often too, bad mix. As for protein? I keep mine all on a 16% and i use whole grains, plus the majority(only exception being bantams though they are on the ground) free range so supplement their diets.

Broiler feeds are good but it's not because of the protein it's the niacin levels, which ducks need higher of during duckling stages. Afterwards, i use a pullet grower that is a custom mix for a feed mill closest to me, it's in a pellet form most broiler growers here are crumb.. which is far more wasteful especially for my large breeds.