Organic Feed Issues

[Duckberry]

Hi. I am brand new to BackYard Chickens but am just wondering if anyone has had any issues feeding their ducks organic feed? We recently lost a duck due to an enlarged heart. The vet mentioned it could be genetic but then went into a long spiel about how ducks raised on organic feed frequently have heart issues. I have four other ducks (three Welsh Harlequins and one Rouen- all female) and am concerned about what I am feeding the rest. We give them Dumour organic layer pellets but also add other grains (mainly oatmeal), nutritional yeast, mealworms, sunflower seeds, and from time to time kelp meal. They also get veggies everyday and free range most of the day in the summer. I honestly felt like he doesn't see a lot of ducks as patients, and he couldn't give me a recommendation as to what I SHOULD be feeding them. But he was the only vet that could see her same day. I am heartbroken and don't want this to happen to any of my other birds.

 

[DucksOhio]

So sorry for your loss...that is sad. Did your vet recommend another brand of food? My vet recommends Mazuri waterfowl maintenance. I know others here who suggest All Flock or Purina Duck.
I used to use Dumor, but after changing to Mazuri, I noticed a pretty significant change in their health.

 

[Duckberry]

Thank you. He would not recommend another brand, that's what irritated me. Just felt like he was not very helpful as far as preventing it in my other birds.
I have been researching giving them maintainer feed with oyster shells free choice rather than layer pellets and think I might try the Mazuri. Especially since they have not been laying since December. We are in Maine, so the winters are quite cold and not much daylight. Days are getting longer, so they should start laying again soon.

 

[SolarDuck]

So sorry for your loss...that is sad. Did your vet recommend another brand of food? My vet recommends Mazuri waterfowl maintenance. I know others here who suggest All Flock or Purina Duck.
I used to use Dumor, but after changing to Mazuri, I noticed a pretty significant change in their health.

My vet also recommends Mazuri, she has quite a few duck patients and she says Mazuri seems to be the best for keeping ducks healthy.

 

[KaleIAm]

So sorry for your loss...that is sad. Did your vet recommend another brand of food? My vet recommends Mazuri waterfowl maintenance. I know others here who suggest All Flock or Purina Duck.
I used to use Dumor, but after changing to Mazuri, I noticed a pretty significant change in their health.

x2

I've now had 3 avian vets recommend Muzuri to me. And since switching years ago I also noticed their health improve. I wish I had started my ducks on Mazuri from the beginning. You can order it on Chewy if you can't find it locally.

 

[Duckberry]

Awesome! Love that it's available on Chewy too. I am going to order a bag this week! We also have cats and rabbits, so I am already ordering from Chewy pretty much once a month anyway.

Thank you all for your comments.

 

[Duckberry]

Any tips for getting them to eat the Mazuri food? They put their beaks up at it, so I ended up mixing a little bit of their old food with it. But then they picked out all the old food and left the Mazuri. I think it may be because it's a different size and shape. Did anyone else have issues switching?

 

[SolarDuck]

Any tips for getting them to eat the Mazuri food? They put their beaks up at it, so I ended up mixing a little bit of their old food with it. But then they picked out all the old food and left the Mazuri. I think it may be because it's a different size and shape. Did anyone else have issues switching?

Throw some in their pool, that got mine excited about it. Otherwise just mix it with your old food for awhile or just offer it by itself until they get hungry enough to start eating it.

 

[Duckberry]

OK I'll try throwing some in their pool. It had been too cold to fill it up the past couple days, but luckily today is going to be warmer. And if that doesn't work, I'll try to be patient. Like you said, eventually they will get hungry enough to eat it. My husband said the same thing, but I tend to baby them a bit.

 

[Ratchnick]

It takes time to switch feed.