How much to feed?

[RossAcres]

Good morning everyone!

So I am trying to figure out how much to feed my ducks. I do not practice free-choice feeding due to weight gain and waste.

I have the following ducks:
- 3 buff ducks (large ducks)
- 15-20 call ducks (bantams)
- 5 Hookbills (light ducks)

Obviously, the bantam ducks don't require as much feed as the buff ducks. I can't figure out how much exactly to feed them. I have read books that say "feed as much as they'll consume in 15 minutes". But that isn't really a great measurement of how much they should be getting. I feed Tucker Milling (local) Show Pellet with 22% protein. Feed bag doesn't give any directions except for mentioning free choice.

Here is the Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein……………..Min……………….22.0%

Crude Fat……………………Min………………….3.0%

Crude Fiber…………………Max…………………4.0%

Lysine………………………..Min……………….1.1%

Methionine…………………Min………………..0.35%

Threonine……………………Min………………..0.9%

Calcium……………………..Min…………………3.85%

Calcium……………………..Max…………………4.3%

Phosphorus………………..Min…………………0.65%

Salt…………………….…..Min………………..……0.3%

Salt……………………..Max…………….…………0.8%

Sodium………………..Min…………………..……0.18%

Sodium………………..Max…………….…………0.22%

Copper……………………….Min…………………14 ppm

Selenium……………………..Min……………..0.4 ppm

Zinc……………………….Min……………………130 ppm

Manganese…………………..Min……………..110 ppm

Vitamin A…………………….Min……….4,200 IU/lb.

Vitamin D3…………………..Min……….3,400 IU/lb.

Vitamin E…………………….Min……………18 IU/lb.

Total Microorganisms…..Min..450 million CFU/lb

Phytase……………………..Min…………900 FTU/lb

Endo 1,4 β-xylanase………Min……16,000 BXU/lb

Protease……………………Min…………1,000 MU/lb

 

[RossAcres]

I started using ChatGPT recently and decided to ask it. Here's what it told me.

Duck Feeding Guidelines​

• Small ducks (like bantams or small breeds): ~ 4 to 6 ounces (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) per duck per day.
• Medium ducks (most common backyard breeds like Pekins, Khaki Campbells, or Runners): ~ 6 to 8 ounces (about 3/4 to 1 cup) per duck per day.
• Large ducks (like Muscovy or heavy breed ducks): ~ 8 to 10 ounces (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups) per duck per day.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I started using ChatGPT recently and decided to ask it. Here's what it told me.

Duck Feeding Guidelines​

• Small ducks (like bantams or small breeds): ~ 4 to 6 ounces (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) per duck per day.
• Medium ducks (most common backyard breeds like Pekins, Khaki Campbells, or Runners): ~ 6 to 8 ounces (about 3/4 to 1 cup) per duck per day.
• Large ducks (like Muscovy or heavy breed ducks): ~ 8 to 10 ounces (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups) per duck per day.

My 5 calls go through about a quart and a half every 2 days roughly. The others are all free fed with chickens as well (technically the calls are too, they just don't empty their bowl most days), so I have no clue other than they go through about 50lbs every 2 days on light days

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My 5 calls go through about a quart and a half every 2 days roughly. The others are all free fed with chickens as well (technically the calls are too, they just don't empty their bowl most days), so I have no clue other than they go through about 50lbs every 2 days on light days

I will add though out of my 5, my female hasn't started laying yet, so the feed need might be higher next year when she is

 

[RossAcres]

My 5 calls go through about a quart and a half every 2 days roughly. The others are all free fed with chickens as well (technically the calls are too, they just don't empty their bowl most days), so I have no clue other than they go through about 50lbs every 2 days on light days

Wait, 50 pounds in 2 days? Is that a typo? Or do you just have a TON of birds?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wait, 50 pounds in 2 days? Is that a typo? Or do you just have a TON of birds?

Lots of birds, including several large muscovy, but I know rodents and wild birds eat some of the feed as well, so it's not all in my birds