# making my own duck feed



## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi! I am new to ducks and new to the forum. (been keeping chickens for a dozen years though) I bought six muscovies last month. one drake and five hens. So far, they have been foraging pasture all day and i feed them each morning some cracked corn scratch mix and some laying pellets that are for chickens. I would love to just blend my own feed from whole ingredients. Is anyone doing this? I feel like they have so much pasture and slough they should be getting most of what they need from there, and I should maybe just have to round that out a bit. we live inWashington state and our climate is pacific northwest temperate most of the year, not much snow or ice at any time, so they can forage all year long. 

On a side note, can i herd them around in a rotational grazing plan? They will hardly leave the barnyard for love or money. Our slough area is no more than 25 yards away from the barn, (i was kinds hoping they would set up shop over there on their own!) and I have to tempt them over to it with cracked corn for a swim and a forage. They are eating the small barn paddock short, and I really want them to graze everywhere! Thanks in advance homesteaders!


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

Ducks herd easily. You might set them up a moveable fence/tractor to keep them in one particular area at a time, but rotational grazing is a very valid tactic for duckies. 

They *should* be getting enough greens and protein from forage in your area between bugs, grass and slugs. You probably don't need to supplement with anything other than a little corn for fat. Also-- my ducks HATE scratch. They're only willing to eat corn, dog food pellets, layer crumble, or kitchen scraps.

Generally, the more free choice food you provide, the less they forage, so I'm not too surprised that they want to stay close to home where the food comes!


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## spud (Feb 3, 2007)

I think you need to set up temp fencing or permanent fencing to have them use the area you want to rotate.

I do not make my own feed but even with boughten feed with additional nutrients for waterfowl, they still seem to be lacking something cause they limp. I have found by giving my two geese and two ducks two tsp of brewers yeast per day that they do not limp. I'm told that brewers yeast has niacin and selenium which helps with the above problem. 

You can also spray your pasture with micronutrients in sea salt in appropriate amounts which will help with animal health also. 

http://www.seaagri.com/ this product is very cheap and livestock people seem to love it. 

Good luck. jeff


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Come summer get a bug zapper.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

tinknal said:


> Come summer get a bug zapper.


YES! Also the brightest solar yard light you can find of the type that you push down into the ground with a little spike. Ducks are more nocturnal than chickens and will take shifts munching on night bugs the light attracts all. night. long. 

I inquired the first year I owned ducks--- niacin in a wild duck's natural diet is mainly out of bugs and protein sources.


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## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

Thanks for the tips!



> my ducks HATE scratch. They're only willing to eat corn, dog food pellets, layer crumble, or kitchen scraps.


I was wondering about the scraps, exactly. I give my chickens pretty much anything. Leftover spaghetti, sandwiches, salads, scrambled eggs, anything. salty, sweet, whatever. are ducks ok with this? or should i stick to raw fruit and veggie scraps? I know the ducks themselves love meat protein like bugs and frogs and things, right?


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

I have raised ducks for 20+years and I have found that you feed at night not in the morning. You want them to be hungery and want to go out to forage. If you feed in the morning thier not hungery and become lazy birds. I feed scraps of all kinds to the ducks, sometimes I find something they don't like, but most things they will eat. Now my ducks free range so I let them go were ever they want.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Dusky Beauty said:


> YES! Also the brightest solar yard light you can find of the type that you push down into the ground with a little spike. Ducks are more nocturnal than chickens and will take shifts munching on night bugs the light attracts all. night. long.
> 
> I inquired the first year I owned ducks--- niacin in a wild duck's natural diet is mainly out of bugs and protein sources.


When I had ducks they would go nocturnal during june bug season and hang out under my living room window. The light would draw the june bugs, they would bounce off the screen, and the ducks would pounce.


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## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

> I have raised ducks for 20+years and I have found that you feed at night not in the morning. You want them to be hungery and want to go out to forage. If you feed in the morning thier not hungery and become lazy birds. I feed scraps of all kinds to the ducks, sometimes I find something they don't like, but most things they will eat. Now my ducks free range so I let them go were ever they want.


Now that makes sense!


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## fixer1958 (Dec 12, 2005)

Move the feeder if you want them somewhere else. Muskovies can live on dirt and still get fat. They act like they are starving but there not. Trust me on that. Look at there poop and see what they are eating. They love mice too by the way and they will be by the feeder if it is there long enough. Good bug controller around the house if you can keep them off the porch. Throw them some feed now and again to keep them approachable and close. Free handout sort of thing. They do well on there own unless there is no green at all or snow on the ground. Plenty of water available.

If you have 5 hens and 1 drake expect at least a 100 by the end of the brooding season. Babies are beautiful to watch grow and learn. Kind of like kids that turn into teenagers and then the fun kind of wains a little. Last year I processed #175 of muscovie (packaged weight, not whole birds, mostly ground meat, and that's what the hawks didn't get before butchering age. They go for the babies. Big ones put up to much of a fight) and I still have 50 birds to go.
Careful what you ask for.
Hogs with feathers and breed like rats.
Good eating though. Replaces my beef burger.
Just my experience.


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## Dusky Beauty (Jan 4, 2012)

airotciv said:


> I have raised ducks for 20+years and I have found that you feed at night not in the morning. You want them to be hungery and want to go out to forage. If you feed in the morning thier not hungery and become lazy birds. I feed scraps of all kinds to the ducks, sometimes I find something they don't like, but most things they will eat. Now my ducks free range so I let them go were ever they want.


I also feed my ducks just about anything. The dog has dibs on meat and meat juices, but I split whatever else is left between the ducks, turkeys and the chicken tractor. The only thing I've noted about the ducks is that they don't care for spicy stuff like bell pepper scraps. 

Bread, pasta, rice, veggies, any old thing.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I'll second feeding at night, though I don't have Muscovies. My ducks are out during the day in our big yard and come in at night for their dinner (layer pellets and scraps). I don't have room to expect them to forage their food, but they do eat a lot less when the weather is nice and things are green. It's easy to bring them in at night and lock them up for their protection when they expect dinner.

I leave them in until 9 ish, as they lay most of their eggs in the morning, saves me from egg hunting all over!


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## Painted Owl (Mar 12, 2013)

> If you have 5 hens and 1 drake expect at least a 100 by the end of the brooding season. Babies are beautiful to watch grow and learn. Kind of like kids that turn into teenagers and then the fun kind of wains a little. Last year I processed #175 of muscovie (packaged weight, not whole birds, mostly ground meat, and that's what the hawks didn't get before butchering age. They go for the babies. Big ones put up to much of a fight) and I still have 50 birds to go.
> Careful what you ask for.
> Hogs with feathers and breed like rats.


:shocked:

Well, I was hoping for babies and we do intend to eat a lot of duck, but whoa!



> I leave them in until 9 ish, as they lay most of their eggs in the morning, saves me from egg hunting all over!


Nice tip! I am looking forward to finding eggs soon! The Drake has finally begun to "Get "er Done" so to speak.


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