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Barnyard Buddies:  Feeding baby ducks..  |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 3:37:10 PM
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My duck book suggests feeding new hatchlings a mixture of equal parts cornmeal, flour and wheat bran instead of packaged duckling food.
I wonder if anyone knows if baby cereal wouldn't be good for them? I have several boxes of gerber rice and multigrain that my baby wont eat anymore and to my mind it seems like it would be a good use for it.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 4:22:27 PM
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As long as it isn't too powdery. The problem with feeding flour (in my opinion and from things I have read) to water fowl is that they breathe it in too much (they stick their whole bill in and shake it around when they eat..very cute and real messy) so crumble is better that way. I feed mine chicken layer crumble and give them alot of kitchen scraps, cracked corn and oats as well. And boy do they love weeds!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 5:06:30 PM
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I was planning to mix it to a gruel like consistency with some cornmeal, but nutritionally speaking, I'd think it would be really really good.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 5:13:13 PM
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instead of dry food I always wet mine for Jasper the duck when he was small..less waste & he got the water he needed without having to run to get a drink of water in between each bit of food....yes baby cereals are an excellent additive to what you are wanting to do for them.....both that you mentioned are an excellent source of extra vits, minerals ect for the babies.....start by adding only a few Tablespoons of it at first until you see how they do....they may gt even runnier poo for a bit while the body adjust to the new ingredients...but this food can be fed to them even as adults....I too have chickens so Jasper gets their feed but daily they all get treats...dried oatmeal, cheerios...for Jasper I throw these into his little pool, did you know that ducks can't swallow like we do thats why they need water near by to be able to wash the food down properly?.....I learned that from my friend who raises ducks when I got Jasper....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 6:30:12 PM
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with out water near their food, they will choke to death, they can not swallow without it, I use chick crumbles for ducklings and goslings, I feed dry with water right next to them, yes you will be constantly changeing the water, but thats the way of water fowl...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 23 2011 : 6:46:55 PM
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Yep...their water is nasty and I clean it out about 3 times a day..but they need it right there. Good idea to mix the baby cereal into gruel..bet they WOULD love that!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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Megan
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Megan
Hudson
South Dakota
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 07:26:43 AM
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i raise lots of duck and the baby cereal is new to me. i know mine at a day old really like clover, but you can raise a duck on straight corn. you would have to grind it at first. last year i raised ducks on a corn soymeal mix to get the protien higher so they would grow better. water is key but dont let them get to wet, with out a mother duck they get to wet and cold.
if you need any more help email
megan
www.rockriverexoticsandkennel.net |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 3:36:49 PM
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hmmmm I bought some soy flour my husband won't eat (He thinks a little soy is going to give him ovaries or something... I dunno.) So, gerber rice cereal, soy flour and cornmeal mixed into gruel should get them off to a nice start, and I'll add some fresh greens to the mix in about a week.
My little ladies hatch in 5 days and counting! I ordered a dozen khaki campbell pullets from Ideal hatchery and I'm sooo excited getting everything ready.
My next conundrum is how much lamp I want.. it's 115 outside, and 90 inside. If I'm not careful I'll have roasted duckies. I'm considering putting in a heating pad insulated with a towel in half the brooder so they have more choice in warming up or cooling down.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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Megan
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Megan
Hudson
South Dakota
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 8:58:19 PM
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at our farm we use alot of regular light bulbs, any where from 100watt- 40watt. seems to work fine. I wouldnt put saw dust or wood shavings in as bedding because the little ducks will sift through and eat the fine dust, their little bodies cant digest. we have found that grass hay or lawn clippings work good. We also clean our pens about every other day, amonia will them quick!
good luck
www.rockriverexoticsandkennel.net |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2011 : 08:59:40 AM
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So, reporting back. All my ducks that survived the mail are thriving. I've been feeding them a mixture of equal parts cornmeal, gerber rice cereal, soy flour and water at first, and after the first week I began to stir in leftover gerber vegetables like green beans, carrots and sweet potatoes. They LOVE to eat!! The last 3 days I've been taking them out in the backyard for sun and exercise and they've been going to town on all the ants, sometimes they fill up JUST on bugs. 9 days old and they're filling out and loaded with energy so I'd say the starter mix I made is pretty good for them.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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Barnyard Buddies: Feeding baby ducks.. |
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Feeding baby ducks..
