http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ Farming Friends Forum Tag: food en Thu, 23 May 2013 04:10:49 +0000 http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20770 Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:04:19 +0000 duskhunter 20770@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>I have fed them apart as best as I can before I let them out but the single baby is in with her mum and two aunties who love the crumb food so they all get that until they have had enough and then get the grain.<br /> It is more of a problem in the evening when I have to get them in, as it is so difficult to get them all housed separately I let them in whichever house they come to and will go in first so they can chop and change each night and I sometimes have to use the food to get them to come in. </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20743 Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:20:11 +0000 m40mo 20743@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Angela this is a problem many have had when they have small ducklings, im assuming they are all housed together now which does make it harder, if they were in seperate houses and pens you could control who eats what by only feeding them in their pens and not letting them out to free range until after they have eaten, the chick crumbs which of corse are important for the new ducklings are fine for mum for a few weeks but if you really feel bad for her you could try putting her feed higher up where the little ones can't reach it<br /> the older ducklings really need to be eating their growers for a long time yet so again unless you can control were they are fed im not sure what you can do, </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20729 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 23:53:21 +0000 duskhunter 20729@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hope you don't mind my tagging a question here too about chick crumbs.</p> <p>My ducklings are two weeks old now and with their mums and the rest of the ducks 20 in all. I find it impossible to ensure they all get the right feed. The mums eat the chick crumbs and the chicks the wheat I give to the mums. The 10 week old incy (incubator hatched) babies will leave their growers pellets to eat whatever they find from the other ducks and the dogs eat the lot!</p> <p>In all seriousness I suppose I should only feed the mums chick crumbs and then the babies would have to eat the same but it seems a bit rough on the mums when they love the wheat. </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20728 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:42:42 +0000 Mama 20728@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Put the maggots in fresh sawdust first to remove anything that may be harmefull to them or rinse in clear water .Mama </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20727 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:44:49 +0000 Mojo 20727@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Cool, thanks mama, I'm off to the fishing tackle shop 2morrow. My chicks are already tame, they c me coming and chirp till I touch them :-)) </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20726 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:42:49 +0000 Mama 20726@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Yes you can and will help to make them tame as they will come to you at the gallop .Not to many though as they need to eat their chick crumb first and the maggots a bedtime treat .Mama </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=3520#post-20723 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 19:32:43 +0000 Mojo 20723@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hi, i have 3 week old chicks can i give them maggots to eat? someone said i should give them to them. please reply. </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14634 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:08:20 +0000 Harmonium 14634@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>I'm in the USA, it's not pellets, its some kinda mash with corn and stuff in it. I'm not sure exactly I got it from the feed store. And yeah, I will mix them </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14615 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:06:46 +0000 queenie 14615@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>hi I have found that my ducklings dive in and eat mums pellets as soon as they are ready although I do put out growers at 3 0r 4 weeks and mix it with chic crumb as Lisa does. (the parent birds love the ducklings food).Good luck with your ducky,has it got a name yet? I hope it gives you as much joy as ours give us.<br /> Liz </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14613 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:57:44 +0000 Lorna 14613@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hi Harmonium,<br /> Could you try to mix the grower mash into the starter and maybe gradually take the starter away, that might be an idea.<br /> Are you in the USA? it is just with you saying mash, here in UK it is usually growers pellets they move on to.<br /> I have 3 call ducklings which are about 11days old and I am going to start probably from week 3 and put a few growers pellets into the starter crumb which is like mash I suppose and see how they take it.</p> <p>Kind Regards<br /> Lorna </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14612 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:56:38 +0000 Harmonium 14612@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>I will defiantly try that. Thanks! </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14611 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:54:47 +0000 lisamaslen 14611@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hi when i start my ducklings on growers about 3 weeks old i dont do a complete swap, i mix a small bit of growers in with the chick crumb and just add a bit more growers each day,then the same when they start on layers, </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14610 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:53:29 +0000 Harmonium 14610@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>It's a mallard. I'm not sure the exact age. I got him two weeks ago. I think he was a week or two at the time. So between 3-4 weeks I would guess </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14608 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:30:15 +0000 Mama 14608@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hi, How old is your duckling . Just out of interest what breed . Mama </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2394#post-14607 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:07:27 +0000 Harmonium 14607@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>So I just switched my duckling from starter mash to grower mash, and he will not eat the grower. Should I let him stick to the starter? Or keep trying to get him to eat the grower?<br /> -Thank you </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14018 Fri, 27 May 2011 10:17:59 +0000 m40mo 14018@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>the dried are fine and better still if re-soaked in warm water </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14017 Fri, 27 May 2011 09:30:38 +0000 admin 14017@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Hi Mo,<br /> Thanks for letting us know about this. Very shocking. I have to say I have only fed live mealworms once. Usually getthe dried ones.<br /> Thanks for passing this info on.<br /> Kind regards<br /> Sara @ farmingfriends </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14011 Fri, 27 May 2011 07:24:35 +0000 m40mo 14011@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>I asume the parents do the same with them and yes shocked me when I first read it, </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14010 Fri, 27 May 2011 07:15:08 +0000 campbell ridge 14010@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>That's a bit shocking, wouldn't the mini mealworms do the same thing - only smaller? </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14009 Fri, 27 May 2011 07:10:49 +0000 m40mo 14009@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>as you know Sara I have done alot of reasearch into bluetits and other wild birds since the sad death of all the blue tits in my box and one thing I learnt that shocked me is that live mealworms will eat away at the inside of the chicks and that experienced wild birds will de-head mealworms before feeding them to their young and many people that have to take over the raising of wild birds do the same, dont know if these were live mealworms or not, I have also learned that you can buy mini mealworms for young birds </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1619#post-14006 Fri, 27 May 2011 06:21:45 +0000 campbell ridge 14006@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>I would have thought insects of any sort would be ok for young poultry as this is what they eat when raised by their mothers in the wild. Mind you, they do say that meal worms have low nutritional value so a variety of insects is the norm. </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13823 Sat, 21 May 2011 15:18:51 +0000 lubyloo 13823@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>yes mo they are calls,thanks sarah have put them out,i will add new topic of growing family as i am taking this post away from feeding with sizing </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13821 Sat, 21 May 2011 13:07:57 +0000 campbell ridge 13821@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>hi Lubyloo, please get your ducks outside into the sun as soon as it shines. It sounds like they are not growing properly and they need sunlight (vitamin D) and B vitamins (brewers yeast) as Mo said. Take them out a few times a day and let them eat and feel the grass under their feet too. Put everyone on growers pellets as the older girls aren't laying.<br /> I think the two little ones sound underweight/undersized so really need quick some action as mentioned above. You can buy poultry vitamin supplements at your supplier and a little bit of marmite on bread could also help.<br /> Sarah </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13817 Sat, 21 May 2011 10:35:34 +0000 m40mo 13817@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>oh thats strange are they all call ducks you hatched, sorry can't remember, dosn't sound right that they are so tiny at 9 days old or were they very tiny when they hatched, dont want to worry you as i'm far from being an expert but check the links I put on this post from Roula, maybe they have this niacin deficiency and it can be treated at this age if they have<br /> <a href="http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2116#post-13725" rel="nofollow">http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2116#post-13725</a><br /> hope its not though x </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13815 Sat, 21 May 2011 08:48:28 +0000 lubyloo 13815@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>no i havent put these two outside yet there so tiny,i dernt,and the weathers not as nice as it was when i put my outhers out at a week old,looking at my photos of the first hatch,these two at 9 days are still only the same size as the first hatch at 1 day old,one still even smaller,there still in my living room and still wanting the heat lamp,the smallest one hatched with some of the egg yolk still attached,and lay in the incubater on its side for two days,followed all advice on previous posts and its running and jumping now,called them coco and fudge,although my hubby keeps calling the smallest (little egg) dont think it would have made it if i didnt get my knowledge form you ff on here,ill try and get a pic somtime today and put it on </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13812 Sat, 21 May 2011 07:45:09 +0000 m40mo 13812@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>ahh poor little drake but yes I like you're thinking lol, the ebay thing was sad but don't give up hope but maybe get eggs from people you actually know next time or from where you can go and see the ducks for yourself, we wouldnt buy any other animal without seeing it or the parents first, thats me any way, hope these 2 grow and give you lots of pleasure, I bet they are really cute now, are you putting them outside for a while yet x </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13811 Sat, 21 May 2011 07:05:16 +0000 lubyloo 13811@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>thanks mo,the older girls are in moult and stopped laying 3 weeks ago,dont know if they come back into lay,i will give it a go as the older ones will eat the growers too,yes a bit of luck for a change,i was hoping for a few more girls not for breeding,hoping they will satisfy the boys a bit more next year to leave the outher girls alone a bit,hoping anyway,lol,and of couse more eggs,i will not be incubating no more after my last expierience with the ebay apricot call eggs,i did get 2 loveley ducklings out the 6 though 9 days old now,incubation is not for me,the unknown mums to my first hatch get on great with the younger girls but tend to be a bit pecky with the younger drake,maybe there thinking we will get the better of you now </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13810 Sat, 21 May 2011 06:32:06 +0000 m40mo 13810@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>hi Lubyloo, I dont think layers would bring your girls into early lay but they wont have the ingredients young ducks need to grow big and strong, if you can't get them eating their own foods I would put just grower pellets down for them all, it wont upset your older ducks to do this, how lucky to only get one drake as well </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=982#post-13808 Sat, 21 May 2011 05:41:07 +0000 lubyloo 13808@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>hi all,my first hatch are now 6 week old, free ranging the garden eating most things in sight,they are now as big as there unknown mums,3 turned out to be girls and 1 boy,im finding the separation of grower and layers a little hard as they are eating more of the layers,maybe silly question but the layers pellets not bring the young girls into early lay,or will they </p> http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=1608#post-12421 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:41:08 +0000 Pastordot 12421@http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ <p>Thanks for the link. I will have to try this as I love Goat Cheese! </p>