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Farming Friends Forum » Ducks

1. m40mo
   Administrator

   has anyone else noticed their ducks dont seem to be eating as much of there real food as they should be, mine seem to be consentrating on natural wild food at the moment, ie my shrubs slugs grass and bugs, but i am aware of the importance of proper pellet food especially as one is now laying, so while i still give them courgette, salad etc, i have recently brought from the pet shop some swan and duck food, this way they think they are getting a treat and im happy they are eating more nutricious food, its good because it also floats on the pond for them,
   this link shows the food just so anyone who wants to try it knows what they are looking for
   Mo

   http://www.spikesite.co.uk/product.asp?pID=6&dID=1

   mo x

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. Mama
   Member

   How great people can buy that Mo, looks good. It might educate folks into not feeding bread to wild ducks . Mama x

   Goose Girl

   Posted 2 years ago #

3. campbell ridge
   Administrator

   Mine arent eating much we are sortof demand feeding atm - thats mainly because the crows and magpies eat it all given half a chance, so we have to feed little and often.

   Sarah L

   Posted 2 years ago #

4. quax
   Member

   Ours seem to be eating about the same, in fact they tend to ask for an extra something around 6pm, so I tend to give them a bit of corn. But then I still haven't found any treats that they like (apart from worms, which Jim will come running for!).

   Rachel

   Posted 2 years ago #

5. Mama
   Member

   Rachel, Have you tried toms chopped up, red is the colour of my true loves eyes , no think it is blue in the human world !!!!!All my ducks chucks, goslings and geese did and do love them . Mama

   Goose Girl

   Posted 2 years ago #

6. campbell ridge
   Administrator

   Well as my ducklings were eating the layers pellets and my adults were eating the chick crumb we decided to put them all on growers pellets (expect Flipper and Gordon who are in a seperate pen. Now Lucy's eggs have a VERY thin shell and I think it must have alread been dmaged when i picked it up as it was very brittle and broke all over my hand. So i have had to put layers pellets in a very high bowl, but they are still eating the ducklings growers! grrr
   They all love the grated courgettes, peas and tomatoes
   but I think in moderation as I now have just 1 egg a day when it used to be 4.
   Abbie is still moulting, Mattie is mothering and Lucy's thin shelled.

   Sarah L

   Posted 2 years ago #

7. m40mo
   Administrator

   it must be very hard work when you have to feed different foods to different age ducks, the high bowl stops the ducklings eating the wrong food but not sure how you can make it work the other way round, it proves how the correct food at the right age is important though if you think this is the cause of the thin shell
   drakes are like all men they have to take what they are given lol
   Mo xx

   mo x

   Posted 2 years ago #

8. campbell ridge
   Administrator

   yes they finish off the left over bits of lettuce stalk etc
   Flipper has just dropped todays egg on a stone by her pool so that is now lost too. No eggs today :(

   Sarah L

   Posted 2 years ago #

9. quax
   Member

   Yes, we're going through a bit of a 'weird egg' patch. Someone is laying very thin shelled eggs, not sure who, or if its the same duck. I often find them in the pond too. But they're still moulting so perhaps that is why.
   But I'll have a go with toms and peas, haven't tried that yet.

   Rachel

   Posted 2 years ago #

10. m40mo
    Administrator

    Hiya, so I started this post by saying I was concerned my ducks wern't eating enough of the pellet food, well I have cut down this last week on feeding them treats of salad stuff. Today first thing I gave them their favourite treat mealworms, late morning they had some spinach, this afternoon tomatoes, they have a constant bowl of pellets, imagine then my guilt when for the first time since owning ducks in April that this evening their bowl of pellets was empty, as I let them out for their daily tramp around the garden I filled up their bowl and ended up with 5 ducks all at the same time with their heads stuck in a bowl of pellets...boy am I feeling guilty right now, I will stick to what im doing but will keep a better eye on the bowl from now on
    Mo

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

11. Mama
    Member

    Mo , you are one of the best duckie mummys . You said to me once ( Don't beat yourself up ) you silly girl they are well cared for .Sometimes they just go for it and maybe it is to do with the weather ! . We all live and learn from our animals . Mama x

    Goose Girl

    Posted 2 years ago #

12. davebarnsley
    Blocked

    hi mo, i did the same, i read that to get the ducks tame try to keep them hungry,well, ididnt feed them the other night , and 7 am kelly let me know she was a hungry girl, and the rest of carlisle ,i think she is thinking how bloody tame do you want me to be ,i sit on ye lap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!,ha

    Posted 2 years ago #

13. m40mo
    Administrator

    thanks Mama, I wasn't really beating myself up but it was strange seeing them all with their heads in the food bowl at once, it does kind of prove my theory though that cutting down on the treats has made them eat more of their proper pellets
    its abit like having kids again lol
    Mo

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

14. sallie
    Member

    Hi All, My quail seem to be laying eggs with a really thick shell at the moment. Still on Quail layer mini pellets and still getting 9 or so a day. I only give occasional treats. They love corn on the cob (but not the baby corn!) lettuce and mealworms. Have tried them with grapes and nectarines but they won't touch them. Strange little things. When I had ducks I just fed them from a hopper so they had ad lib food and I also had a grit hopper which they used like mad. Oyster shell grit seemed to be the best. Never had a thin shell problem and they both laid every day for months. Indian Runners.
    Best wishes.
    Sallie.

    Posted 2 years ago #

15. Lorna
    Member

    Hi to Khaki Campbell owners

    Can you tell me if you had 4 or more Khaki Campbells, how long does a 20kg bag of pellets last? I am considering having some more larger ducks, but I have to consider can I afford to feed all of them

    Thanks
    Lorna

    Posted 2 years ago #

16. m40mo
    Administrator

    hi Lorna, I have 5 khakis as you know, I would say a 20kg bag lasts about a month so not bad really, but like i said at the start of this post they havn't been eating it as much latley
    Mo x

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

17. Lorna
    Member

    Hi Mo

    Thanks. I am feeding 10 ducks so I suppose having 2 more would not take much more.

    Lorna

    Posted 2 years ago #

18. quax
    Member

    Hi Lorna, I have 2 Khaki cross and 3 white campbells and one of our bags usually lasts about 3 or 4 weeks.

    Rachel

    Posted 2 years ago #

19. Lorna
    Member

    Hi Rachel

    Thanks for that reply, I am trying to wait and see if the shop I sell some eggs too could take more, then I am intending when I get some money together to get 2 Khakis. I have been reading up a little about them and there might be someone near me who owns and breeds them, he shows his ducks as well, so I will see in due course.

    Best Wishes
    Lorna

    Posted 2 years ago #

20. quax
    Member

    Hope you do get some Campbells, they are lovely. Keep us up to date with what you get.

    Rachel

    Posted 2 years ago #

21. lubyloo
    Member

    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

    Posted 2 years ago #

22. m40mo
    Administrator

    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

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

23. lubyloo
    Member

    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

    Posted 2 years ago #

24. m40mo
    Administrator

    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

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

25. lubyloo
    Member

    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

    Posted 2 years ago #

26. m40mo
    Administrator

    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
    http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=2116#post-13725
    hope its not though x

    mo x

    Posted 2 years ago #

27. campbell ridge
    Administrator

    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.
    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.
    Sarah

    Sarah L

    Posted 2 years ago #

28. lubyloo
    Member

    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

    Posted 2 years ago #

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