Best overall duck feed?

[SolarDuck]

Hello I was just wondering what the best feed is for my ducks. I have 3 Muscovy girls and right now they are eating Family Farms brand chicken feed, per 40lb bag of feed I add 4 cups of Family Farms brand scratch, 2 cups of dried mealworms, and 1 cup of bewers yeast. I always fill up their bowl before its empty but usually I feed about 2 cups of it per day. I also give them treats in the form of watermelon, peas, lettuce, and some other fruit and vegetables occasionally, and they eat whatever they forage from my yard which they are doing for most of the day(weeds, bugs, etc.) I was just wondering if that seems like a solid feed for ducks or if I should add anything else? Also I am kind of curious of if Mazuri feed is worth it, I've looked at it but it is over 4x as expensive as the usual feed I buy so I wasn't sure if it would be worth it. And should I mix in oyster shell grit with the feed? Or just offer a seperate bowl of it?
Thanks a ton!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

i know mazuri is good but my ducks will not eat it so i use purina pellets instead

i feed as much dry feed as they want then veggies and bugs daily as well and their vet says they are healthy

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I use nutrina all flock. It is used by several here, it’s what is available to me, they seem to do well on it, they get Peas at night as a treat and the occasional fruit like pumpkin , watermelon or veggies like broccoli or corn or green beans ..though those are getting fewer and farther between as it gets colder. I offer oyster shell free choice

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I had been using a local chicken layer feed with most of the things you mentioned added. My ducks ended up with eggshell issues. I switched to Purina Duck pellets and it seems to have fixed things.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I used to feed Purina Flock Raiser or Layena pellets until my Rouen almost died from reproductive issues at the beginning of September. At that time, her Veterinarian recommended switching to Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance due to, I believe, the Calcium/Phosphorous ratio (don’t quote me on that). I switched immediately. I don’t know if there’s a difference as Daphne immediately stopped laying for the season after her crisis and my Muscovy hens have always been perfectly healthy no matter what they have been fed. Along with the Mazuri, I feed mealworms as a treat + a variety of greens and a small amount of cracked corn in cold weather. In laying season, I offer oyster shell free choice. I’ll let you know this summer how things go with Daphne on the Mazuri. She’s always had reproductive issues that flare mid-summer and more seriously in early fall. We will see!

 

[SolarDuck]

I had been using a local chicken layer feed with most of the things you mentioned added. My ducks ended up with eggshell issues. I switched to Purina Duck pellets and it seems to have fixed things.

Good to know, I'll have to see if I can find a local store that carries the Purina duck food I've been buying Family Farms brand just because it's what they had at Walmart and the nearest tractor supply co is over an hour from me, but its pretty cheap so its probably a good idea for me to go for a more reputable brand like Purina

 

[Puff_and_Waddles]

I give my ducks Purina organic chicken pellets and I put brewers yeast in it a few times a week.

 

[KaleIAm]

I feed Mazuri waterfowl maintenance when not laying, and breeder when laying. My avian vet recommended it. My ducks love it. I also let them forage a little and give them small amounts of veggies and mealworms.

I definitely recommend giving a duck specific feed. I didn't at first, and my ducks are much healthier since switching them.

 

[SolarDuck]

I raised them on duckling pellets I believe they were Purina but switched about a month ago because I had to drive very far to get the pellets. I'll have to try and find a good source nearby hopefully I'll be able to find a little feed store, there is a pet store that carries rhe mazuri near me but they try to sell it for like $70 per bag so not gonna ever do that, but they do sell it by the pound so I might try a little to see how they like it.

 

[KaleIAm]

I raised them on duckling pellets I believe they were Purina but switched about a month ago because I had to drive very far to get the pellets. I'll have to try and find a good source nearby hopefully I'll be able to find a little feed store, there is a pet store that carries rhe mazuri near me but they try to sell it for like $70 per bag so not gonna ever do that, but they do sell it by the pound so I might try a little to see how they like it.

They might not like it at first. My ducks are very resistant to new food. I mixed Mazuri with their old food for 3 weeks before they would finally accept it wasn't poison and eat it.

It is more expensive, but I figure the reduction in vet costs is worth it for me. You can also get it cheaper on chewy, and if you order enough stuff I hear shipping is free.