# Feeding Ducks



## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

I have a couple of ducks and am not sure what to feed them. I'd like to steer clear of layer feed as I like to know specifically what is in the feed by mixing my own mix or buying a premixed Duck food. I've googled this topic a lot and haven't come up with information specifically on feeding ducks.

I'm sure there are people on this board who must feed their ducks something other than layer feed?

Thanks for any help you can provide.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

What do you have available? They should have greens and oats are good for them. Mine enjoy goat milk with oats soaked in it.


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## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

Pretty much anything the feed stores sell -most grains. So far I have seen wheat mentioned as a pretty staple grain. I can get that but just wondering what else they might benefit from. I hate watching them shovel down the layer mix...


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## Ann Mary (Nov 29, 2004)

I was wondering the same thing going into winter. What to feed them since the green grass will be gone soon. I don't mind feeding some laying pellets so I know they are getting minerals, etc that they need but what else? I was thinking alfalfa pellets, rolled oats....????? And should it be free choice feed or feed twice a day?? (Mine are spoiled with the sprouted wheat and don't want ANYTHING else different from me but some laying pellets and I will keep feeding the sprouted wheat through the winter but they will need 'more' of someting else to fill those LARGE tummies. They are ingnoring leaf lettuce, green tomatoes..all those things I've been told they would LOVE. sprouted wheat and the green grass and a bit of laying pellets are all they want right now...but soon winter will be here.) Thanks!


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## the mama (Mar 1, 2006)

Purina makes a feed for ducks and turkeys, it has a higher protein percentage.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

When it's cold they need corn to generate heat. My ducks and geese switch almost entirely over to corn when it got cold.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Mine are getting a grain pellet made by a local mill, plus a bit of dry cat food for animal protein, and veggies and fruit, plus what they can find to pick up. Oyster shell on the side and about a Tablespoon of flax seed (for the entire flock, not each)

You can feed any all purpose poultry food, food made for ducks if you can find it, turkey feed if you cut the protein level with a bit of oats.

I would be feeding a layer feed if the ducks are laying. If you don't want to feed layer feed, make sure they are getting enough calcium.

Also ducks need more niacin than chickens do. If they aren't getting out to scrounge bugs, give them a niacin supplement.


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## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

Ann Mary said:


> They are ingnoring leaf lettuce, green tomatoes..all those things I've been told they would LOVE.


Mine ignore lettuce too and most of the other "treats" I feed them..I was free-ranging these guys during the day until I lost a hen in broad daylight last week. Now I keep them fenced in about a 15x15 area-it didn't take them and the rooster long to mow down the grass in the pen. I just moved the pen yesterday onto fresh grass.

I'd love to steer clear of pellets -I'm a believer that the more natural the feeding the better for long term health. I'm not trying to maximize production/growth etc. Anyone *NOT* feeding their ducks pellets?


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

If you want to make your own feed, get a copy of "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks". In the back there are several good mixes for feeds for ducks of various ages, etc. Also it lists the best levels of proteins, vitamins, etc. for ducks. That would help you to have a good idea if the diets you are considering would be appropriate for your ducks.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Raise geese instead and let them graze. Raising grass is easy.


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## OJ Rallye (Aug 4, 2005)

We feed Muscovies, Welsh Harlequins and Stanbridge white ducks organic chick starter. The layers get oyster shells. This time of year they get whatever else they want. When it's all snow and ice here, they don't get much else.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

fishhead said:


> When it's cold they need corn to generate heat. My ducks and geese switch almost entirely over to corn when it got cold.


For some reason, I thought corn was not good for ducks..read that somewhere but I don't remember where. 
Do you feed cracked corn or whole corn?


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## KnowOneSpecial (Sep 12, 2010)

I had 4 Muscovy's land on my farm the day after Christmas. Thanks to the racoons I'm down to just two ducks. They get hen scratch and egg crumbles. They're free range, so add in some grass and whatever they can pick up on the farm. Must be working because every day I get two pretty unfertilized eggs. In the spring I'm going to find them a male Muscovy. I LOVE seeing little baby ducks on the farm! :gaptooth:


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## bluetick (May 11, 2002)

When I had ducks I fed them a 16% protein game and turkey feed. Winter treats included cracked or whole corn and BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds). They also liked cabbage, grapes, and romaine or green leaf lettuce among other veggies/fruit.


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

My muscovies eat whole oats, along with the hogs. I don't buy any feed for them. They scratch around after the hogs.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Ducks that free range will have a lower need for feed that ducks that are penned and don't have access to natural foods. Muscovies probably eat rather differently that Mallard derivatives and can fly and range pretty widely if need be. 

My ducks are kept in night time pens and day time a large yard with grass, weeds, bugs, etc. I feed them a layer pellet or a maintenance pellet, depending on whether they are layers, young ducks or drakes. They get some of their food from the yard in the summer, but its not adequate to keep them up to weight and healthy. 

There are so many variables, the OP is going to have to evaluate the needs of her ducks and what is naturally available to them and what is considered necessary for a prepared feed and make some decisions. Good luck!


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## eggzackly (Apr 14, 2011)

My muscovies (2 hens and a half grown drake duckling) free range out back with about twenty pullets. In the early morning they actively hunt flies on the lawn, walking abreast and snapping them up while they are still cool and slowed down. They do that quite a bit. They graze the grass, shuffle around in the leaves and loose dirt here and there looking for who knows what. They are finding stuff, because you can see them munching it down, I just don't know what. I feed the whole 20-25 birds two scoops a day of Purina Flock Raiser, one in the morning, one at night. The pullets are mostly big ol' English type Orpingtons. You'd think they'd need more feed than that for that many birds. I intentionally keep them a little on the hungry side so they will forage harder. I also am tired of seeing hordes of sparrows eat about as much as the hens did. Anyhow, they get a scoop for breakfast and a scoop before bed. That's it. The rest they find.


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