Help With Food for Ducklings

[nitronut1]

An acquaintance gave us 6 mallard ducklings and a bag of duck starter feed 3 weeks ago. The ducks were rescued - umm "escaped" - from a "testing" facility.

The ducks are just starting to get their feathers in now. They are doing well; just consuming more and more starter food each day. Should they be switched to something else soon? If so, does anyone know what type of feed and when? I can't seem to get a straight answer out of anyone here (not an agricultural area).

Thanks,

Gregg

 

[DavidD]

We feed our little "quackers" and "honkers" cracked corn, they have been on it since 3 weeks old and seem to be doing fine.
DavidD

 

[rdln]

I am not sure the feed type for ducks,
cracked corn sounds fine but try to ween them off the starter and on to next type slowly. dont change their diet overnight they might not like it.

 

[gator]

Gregg,
The way I started my Mallard ducklings was the first month on Manna Pro Start and Grow (actually for chickens). At about a month I mixed it with Scratch . Then after about a month, went to scratch only. The ducks kinda turned their nose at it at first, but then they only get scratch and go crazy at feeding time.
Just the way I did it.

 

[nitronut1]

Thanks for the replies!

Sorry for the question, but what exactly is scratch? Is it like cracked corn?

Also, is the anything we shouldn't be feeding them? When we take them outside and put them in a pen, they forage through everything; grass, mud, etc.

Gregg

 

[wroughtn_harv]

If you ever get bored feed them full size marshmellows. It's sorta cruel but hilarious. Not cruel in that it hurts them but cruel in that you feel embarrassed for them.

 

[Alan L.]

We started our ducklings on the duckling starter under Tractor Supply's brand. Then we switched to Big V All Way Kernels, which is mostly cracked corn, grain sorghum, wheat, and a bunch of other stuff. It was recommended by the feed store, but I am somewhat concerned that it has 20% protein, whereas I have read the ducks shouldn't be get that much protein anymore.

 

[gator]

Gregg,
Scratch is chicken feed, it has cracked corn and other grains in it. Let them forage, it it ain't good for em they probably wont eat it.

 

[RichZ]

Agway makes feed for ducks, as well as starter for ducks. Feeding just cracked corn may not be balanced enough. They probably need more nutrients than the cracked corn alone supplies.

 

[nitronut1]

Thanks for all the replies above. I went to Agway today and picked up a bag of Purina "Duck Chow" and mixed it in with the starter feed. They ignored it and kept to the starter feed. It was getting late; they're usually hungrier in the morning. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

How do ducks get along in the winter? I have an old dog pen and dog house that we've been getting them used to...would that work with cold and snow too?

Gregg

 

[Anonymous Poster]

When looking for some entertainment, go pick up a few dozen crickets from a pet store; the more the merrier. Meal worms (often fed to reptiles) are also hilarious. They love the bugs and it's cute as heck to watch those little ducks go after 'em.

 

[nitronut1]

Crickets, eh? I'll have to get some this week. Today they were hanging out on the driveway jumping up and down - almost falling over backwards. My wife thought something was really wrong with them. Being the "calmer" person of the two of us, I took a minute to assess what they were really doing. Turns out they were watching the inchworms web down out of the oaks and were grabbing them out of the air about a foot above the driveway. This went on all day long (much to the kids amusement).

Gregg