What should I feed my baby ducks?

[Duckydoo]

I have to baby ducks what healthy food should i give them? Also I turned the light on in the room where they sleep at night and I think one had a seizure. The duck fell on his side frozen. It really scared me. What should I do?

 

[nanaluvsgps]

ooo, that don't sound to good. Is he ok. Well it can vary but what starter mash is is just the big chicken pellets crushed up with a few extra meds and nutrients. So I mix chick starter mash mixed with top layer mash. Top layer mash is ground up seeds, waterfowl and chickens would prefer seed over pettels any day. But maybe speak with your produce store owner.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Make sure any feed you give them is not medicated. Most chick starter is, ducklings don't need the medications and it often makes them ill if there are meds. in the feed. Layer feed is also too high in calcium, and while probably fine in an emergency* for a feeding if you run out of food, can cause serious health problems if fed as the sole ration too early. (*Though I would probably opt for crushing some kitty kibble and adding rolled oats in an emergency, just because I am overly protective.)
An unmedicated chicken feed or a waterfowl grower/flock raiser feed is good. You can mix in rolled/whole oats to lower the protein content to prevent issues like angel wing.
As for your duckling who had the seizure, I would try to add nutritional yeast to the feed as well, and a niacin tablet in the water (on a regular basis). Many neurological issues in ducklings are caused by a lack of niacin, which ducklings need more of for growth than chickens. Most feed is not made with enough niacin for our little quackers, so supplementing niacin is strongly recommended.
Good luck, and welcome to the weird world of water fowl!

 

[Oregon Blues]

The urban myth that will never die.

Modern poultry food, medicated with Amprollum is perfectly safe for ducklings. If you can't find feed made for ducks, you can use chick starter and add a niacin supplement.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Quote: I stand corrected. There is always someone with more knowledge & experience here.
Do you feel the same is true for Layer feed & calcium with ducklings?

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:

I stand corrected. There is always someone with more knowledge & experience here.
Do you feel the same is true for Layer feed & calcium with ducklings?

I tend to agree that layer feed has to much calcium for both chicks and ducklings. I went to Metzers website and they have a good page on feeding ducklings and ducks according to their ages.