Roosters, ducks & hens… What to feed mixed flock?

[Troonquarry]

Here’s my scenario… I have year old bougie little ducks (7 girls and one boy) that will only eat Kalmbach duck food. I also have 18-week old chickens, four hens and two roosters. They have been eating chickhouse reserve but now they have been moved in with the ducks and are eating the duck food like little savages. I still put out the chickhouse and they eat that as well, but they really love the duck food. I know that they are at the age that they should be moved to adult feed. I was thinking about moving them to henhouse reserve which I imagine is a layer feed @ 17% protein but, now I’m concerned about the roosters. Obviously the chickens are going to eat any food that is out there and I’m certainly not going to separate the roosters…so I was just hoping that someone who had a mixed flock like this could give me some feedback on what is working for you??? Pros and cons of things that you have tried, is always helpful as well

I do know that there is mixed flock food, but I am concerned about my ducks because every time I’ve tried to give them different food they reject it. Recently, they have been molting and their egg production has almost stopped. I’m thinking it’s because the chickens are body blocking them from the food and they’re getting less food than they usually do. I don’t really want to decrease the ducks protein level. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You need multiple feeders so nobody gets blocked from eating. And you should switch everybody to an all-flock formula, but do it gradually. Mix in a little of the all-flock with the duck food for a week, maybe a 20/80 ratio. The following week mix in more of the all-flock, maybe a 30/70 mix. Then 40/60, then 50/50 and so on until they're switched to the all-flock. If they balk, keep them at the same mix for an extra week until they accept it but don't go backward! Hold all treats, no treats until they're all eating the all-flock. They will!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You do have a lovely flock. Don't forget the ducks need niacin. @Miss Lydia , thoughts?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I feed everyone waterfowl feed, including the chickens

 

[Miss Lydia]

I feed chicken layer and mix 80/20 6-way grains into it. Only thing I can get non GMO. I have fed this many years to my flock of chickens ducks and geese. If I could find an all flock in NON GMO I would def go that route. I haven't seen this hurt any of my birds My oldest rooster was going on 14 yrs when he passed and I have had ducks live to age 15 yrs.
Try mixing your duck/hen house reserve together and feeding it. Just be sure your flock is getting adequate niacin. I add Nutritional yeast to my flock's feed. And multiple feeders so all can eat without being bullied.
Beautiful birds

 

[Evadig]

I understand about the chickens eating the duck food. Mine seem to think the “duck food” is superior to their own, when in reality it’s the exact same thing .

I feed Kalmbach 16% Flock Maintainer. Or if there’s young ones I give the Kalmbach Flock Starter. I have four roosters, nine ducks, and fifteen+ hens…oh, and a turkey.

 

[NatJ]

Here’s my scenario… I have year old bougie little ducks (7 girls and one boy) that will only eat Kalmbach duck food. I also have 18-week old chickens, four hens and two roosters. They have been eating chickhouse reserve but now they have been moved in with the ducks and are eating the duck food like little savages.

I do know that there is mixed flock food, but I am concerned about my ducks because every time I’ve tried to give them different food they reject it.

Can you just feed everybody duck food?

Recently, they have been molting and their egg production has almost stopped. I’m thinking it’s because the chickens are body blocking them from the food and they’re getting less food than they usually do. I don’t really want to decrease the ducks protein level.

Maybe provide several more feeders, in several different places so the chickens cannot block them all at once. If that doesn't solve the problem, you may need to separate the ducks from the chickens, to make sure the ducks have enough time and space to eat. But I think more feeders will probably solve it.

Edit to add:

I know that they are at the age that they should be moved to adult feed. I was thinking about moving them to henhouse reserve which I imagine is a layer feed @ 17% protein but, now I’m concerned about the roosters. Obviously the chickens are going to eat any food that is out there and I’m certainly not going to separate the roosters…

Laying hens need more calcium than roosters or chicks. If you provide a dish of oyster shell, the layers will usually eat what they need and the others will usually ignore it. This should work for both ducks and chickens.

As for moving chickens to "adult" feed: chick starter is fine for their entire lives, as long as you provide an extra calcium source for the layers. Grower or all-flock feed would also be fine, and the duck feed is probably fine as well.

 

[Troonquarry]

You need multiple feeders so nobody gets blocked from eating. And you should switch everybody to an all-flock formula, but do it gradually. Mix in a little of the all-flock with the duck food for a week, maybe a 20/80 ratio. The following week mix in more of the all-flock, maybe a 30/70 mix. Then 40/60, then 50/50 and so on until they're switched to the all-flock. If they balk, keep them at the same mix for an extra week until they accept it but don't go backward! Hold all treats, no treats until they're all eating the all-flock. They will!

Thank you. Great idea to switch them over slowly. I did put out separate feeders and that seems to be helping a bit.

 

[Troonquarry]

I feed chicken layer and mix 80/20 6-way grains into it. Only thing I can get non GMO. I have fed this many years to my flock of chickens ducks and geese. If I could find an all flock in NON GMO I would def go that route. I haven't seen this hurt any of my birds My oldest rooster was going on 14 yrs when he passed and I have had ducks live to age 15 yrs.
Try mixing your duck/hen house reserve together and feeding it. Just be sure your flock is getting adequate niacin. I add Nutritional yeast to my flock's feed. And multiple feeders so all can eat without being bullied.
Beautiful birds

Thank you! I did put out separate feeders and I decided to go ahead and mix the two feeds together. I will see how this goes for now. I really appreciate the feedback and the compliments on the birds!

 

[Troonquarry]

I understand about the chickens eating the duck food. Mine seem to think the “duck food” is superior to their own, when in reality it’s the exact same thing .

I feed Kalmbach 16% Flock Maintainer. Or if there’s young ones I give the Kalmbach Flock Starter. I have four roosters, nine ducks, and fifteen+ hens…oh, and a turkey.

Thanks for the feedback. I saw that Kalmbach has a flock maintainer, but it had pictures of babies on it so I was wondering if it was a chick feed