feedrite 17% layer ration crumbles?

My husband came home with this yesterday to feed to our ducklings. I think that he asked for duckling feed, and they should know at the feed place what they are selling, but I see no mention of medication-free or if it contains medication, or that it is for waterfowl as well as chickens. Should I be worried or is it fine to feed it to them? I told the kids just to feed them some chopped barley and some soaked dog food in the meantime...along with their water.

http://www.feedrite.com/new/Products/Poultry/Layers%2017.htm

Some of the little ones are only a couple of days old, some were born Canada Day weekend. We had to save them from the dog and the unmotherly duck hen. She didn't seem to watch them at all and the kids found them all over the place...far from each other. So, we are now raising them separately from the adults The kids have ongoing instructions from now on...see a duckling, pick it up and add it to the rest. We might not lose as many that way. We should have had close to 70 or more, but right now, due to abandonment and the dog and who knows what else, we have only 27 or so.

Layer pellets will not be medicated since you eat the eggs they lay while on it, but it is not the best food for ducklings or young chicks, but will work in a pinch. I would get some proper grower diet for them but in the mean time this would not harm them.

He was told that this was the only thing that they sell around here for ducks, and I think that we won't get anywhere if we push anything to try to ask for duckling grower crumbles. This stuff isn't medicated. He had specifically mentioned ducklings. So then, if that is the case, does anyone know how I can beef it up to make it better for the ducklings?

Are we better off trying to get more of a wild game bird ration type of feed if we can?

I would look at the wild game ration if you can, it is the extra calcium in the layer that is not the best for them. Also low in protein, so I guess if it is the only thing you can find then you will need to boost up the protein with eggs and/or cat food. Maybe some nice high protein wheat as well.

You can feed them Poultry Grower or grower/ finisher and you can mix oats crushed or whole to that along with a bit of grit. I would not feed them any of the layer ration as the extra calcium will kill them. In a pinch I would use just oats.

I have some young babies about that age with their mothers and they have only had whole oats, which is what I feed my adult waterfowl when not breeding and they are doing great, getting extra protein from chasing bugs.

Heather

Unfortunately, we couldn't just leave them running free. We lost way over 1/2 of our ducklings by doing that. Most of the hens wouldn't look after their little ones, losing them (we think perhaps some may have drowned staying out in the water too long too when the hens left), the dog chasing and most likely eating some, and I would have no doubt that the pigs got a few when they wondered into the pen. These last little guys we found scattered all over the place in the strangest places. There were 2 or 3 in each bunch. The drakes protected the ducklings when they were around them, so no problems from them.

So, considering all of that loss, we are stuck having them separated from the adults and contained. I would love it if they could chase bugs. We have sooo many, but it is what it is.

We are currently feeding the ducklings rolled barley and soaked dog food until we have things figured out.

Just because we have this ration anyway, once the ducks are all older, would it still hurt the older ones or are we best off keeping the layer crumbles for our chicken hens when they start to lay?

Another question while I am thinking about it...will those hens that don't have as much motherly instinct improve over time? For all of them, this has been their first hatch.

Sad to hear about the poor mothering instincts of some of the ducks. What was the breed? I see you have muscovies. I have had many a muscovy mother, young, first time mothers and older, seasoned gals. Never have I had a muscovy duck that didn't have excellent mothering skills, even first time mothers. wonder what is going on. I have no experience with the other breed you have of duck, but perhaps it is the breed. Hope this all works out for you and the babies grow up safe and sound. They really do need good food to grow properly, hope you can find the right stuff for that too. Wishes for good luck and to have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

The ones that I am talking about are the muscovies. I was very disappointed, as I have heard that they are excellent mothers. I wonder if the dog was just too much for them, although they seem to just fly or walk away without a second thought. Two of the 8 seem to come back and talk to the young ones, but even they are not the most consistent.

I understand that the runners are not usually good mothers, so I won't be shocked at anything there.

Thank you Cynthia. You always seem to have such a wonderful positive attitude. I hope that your day is good as well.

Actually I find that Runners are a most attentive parents. The one group that I have has a Runner mother who faithly sat on her eggs and always knows where her babies are.

I would suggest that the Layer Ration be saved for your chickens when they are old enough.

One other thing I would think that your females will be better mommies next time round, sometimes it can be a big task for first timers, Also you are best to try and keep them confined with mom for a few days and then when you let them out try to keep things quite and orderly until the ducklings can keep up to mom.

Good luck and your ducklings will grow like mad.

Heather

Heather has a good point about keeping them separate. in retrospect, the broody muscovy mammas always had their own little safe place, where no chickens could bug them (or anything else, like turkeys, they are not nice to mothers sitting on eggs in the open, well mine wasn't, lucky I saw what the tom was doing ). they need to be able to keep those babies safe for a couple of days until they get their sea legs for surely. They are like baby chicks, for the first 2-3 days of life, they have no clue that something out there might want to harm them....and they wander, yes, seen that, thinking back. Oh, oh, this was about feed....babies are tender for the first few days of life, and then!! all crazy getout begins. Have beautiful days, CynthiaM.