Perfect Homemade Duck Feed

[starryhen]

I'm in North Central texas. The weather here fluxuates so often. We can have snow one day then 60 degrees and sunny the next. We have 3 ducks and 2 geese that free range on about half an acre. I make my own supplimental food for them and they are shiney, great weight, healthy and happy and they do lay (not now because of the temps). I mix oats, barley, sunflower seeds, lentils, corn, flaxseeds, chia seeds, dried egg shells ground down, and from time to time I add food grade DE and kelp. I also cut up our fruit and veggy scraps into small piece (no avocados as I read it is bad for them so I don't want to take the chance). All is good for them. The lady I got them from was just giving them chicken scratch. From the time I got them till now I noticed a huge difference in their health and appearance.

I know you posted this a long time ago. I am near Austin and am using an organic prepared feed from a local mill but the quality is not really good. What are the rough amounts of your ingredients? The sunflower seeds are shelled?

 

[wyoming wonder]

Once again, I'm new to this website, so forgive me for my mistakes.

I know that ducks mostly forage for food, but what should I add to their diet? I'm planning on raising them for eggs, so I would like them to have the most nutritious/healthiest eggs possible. I read up that feed mostly affects egg quality. Also, I know that seeds are good in small quantities, but what if I grind them up, so they're easier to digest? I would prefer a complex, yet organic feed for my ducks, similar to how Garden Betty made her whole grain chicken feed, with the appropriate protein ratio for them, even though egg-laying ducks probably have a different protein ratio for feed. Essentially, I'm an looking for a varied, feed that is nothing else but the best for my ducks, so I can get healthier ducks, and much healthier eggs! Include anything beneficial, such as small, but nutritious treats.

As a side note, we tend to have very cold winters, but I read up that the ducks could tolerate it. We do get a significant amount of snow, so how should I change the feed to help them over the winter? Or should I just shovel some snow from them to free range on exposed earth?

Here's what I do especially in the winter.
I purchase non chemical GMO
NON CHEMICAL PURE. Laying feed and corn. In the winter I mix a small coffee container with the laying feed,two hand fills of Cheerios, flax seed, and crushed up egg shelled to almost a powder and mix that together and pour that in my ducks feeder.
I then take a head of home grown lettuce and take off a good portion of that and put the broken off pieces big enough for them to eat in a feeding pan.
In spring, summer and fall I just give the corn and laying feed 1 coffee can scoop pore that in their feeder, pull the clover, grass and weeds and dandelions from my lawn place them in a white gathering bucket then take that into the duck yard and the duck house. I put half of the mixed up grass, dandelions, clover and weeds in the duck yard and the rest in the duck house in their feeding pan with a hand full of crushed egg shells and flax seed. Then once every two weeks give them a hand full of Cheerios.
They forage on grubs and eat the wheat straw I have laid down in the duck yard and inside of the house.
I also gather rain water and pour this into both of the kiddy pools for them to swim, bathe and drink. Cuts down my feed bill tremendously until I'm able to get a bigger farm and grow my own corn and grains.

 

[jlk252]

I want to avoid using commercial feed, but if it's needed for supplement, I'll use some. I want to give them fresh veggies and greens, grain and seeds, and some protein sources such as small fish or meal worms over the winter. Let me know if I cannot use some of those. Also can I feed crushed seeds?

did you end up making your own feed? what did you come up with for ingredients that you like best(or that the ducks like best)?

 

[jjanell1]

I'm in North Central texas. The weather here fluxuates so often. We can have snow one day then 60 degrees and sunny the next. We have 3 ducks and 2 geese that free range on about half an acre. I make my own supplimental food for them and they are shiney, great weight, healthy and happy and they do lay (not now because of the temps). I mix oats, barley, sunflower seeds, lentils, corn, flaxseeds, chia seeds, dried egg shells ground down, and from time to time I add food grade DE and kelp. I also cut up our fruit and veggy scraps into small piece (no avocados as I read it is bad for them so I don't want to take the chance). All is good for them. The lady I got them from was just giving them chicken scratch. From the time I got them till now I noticed a huge difference in their health and appearance.

Can you repost this in portions so i can make it?

 

[Isaac 0]

Can you repost this in portions so i can make it?

Welcome to BYC!

Have you considered buying feed already formulated for ducks, like Mazuri, or Purina flock raiser. The recipe the poster suggested above, does not sounds "nutritionally balanced" for ducks.

 

[jjanell1]

Welcome to BYC!

Have you considered buying feed already formulated for ducks, like Mazuri, or Purina flock raiser. The recipe the poster suggested above, does not sounds "nutritionally balanced" for ducks.

I do buy food. I

Welcome to BYC!

Have you considered buying feed already formulated for ducks, like Mazuri, or Purina flock raiser. The recipe the poster suggested above, does not sounds "nutritionally balanced" for ducks.

I do buy feed from the store. Ducks have made it in the wild by foraging. My intentions are to be able to grow and make their food. So it is more fresh and hopefully more cost effective. Im running my own backyard homestead. It's all about being self sufficient, resourceful and spending the least amount of money possible.

 

[Waxmoon]

Thanks, super excited to treat my new Khakis to some really good feed. Since I'm only feeding 4 and have lots of 3 gallon pails I think those will work perfect.

ETA: I live near the ocean and always see the wild ducks eating seaweed. I'm thinking I could harvest some off the beach for mine instead of buying kelp.

Kelp is good in bit size pieces

 

[erbydee]

Would I have to supplement feed for a duck that is known for mostly foraging? And can I feed ducks crushed seeds?

Ducks need niacin. Without it they can quickly go down hill. My girls forage all day and are fed fermented pellet feed in the afternoon

 

[ldeepurple]

I am currently feeding commercial feed while I research good organic foods and make my own, BUT I also supplement with SPROUTED WHEAT SEEDS and DRIED MEALWORMS (which I can raise alongside my wormbins). They LOVE both.

 

[ldeepurple]

Ducks need niacin. Without it they can quickly go down hill. My girls forage all day and are fed fermented pellet feed in the afternoon

can you elaborate on the 'fermented' duckfeed? Fermentation typically means soaking things. Do you then dry the feed? Im intrigued!! TIA