Duckling Question.......Can they eat the same food? HELP!!!!

[Bec]

Ok...I just got the chicken thing down...now I have adopted 2- 2or3 week old mallard ducklings. The man at the feed store said that they can eat the medicated chick feed because they are past the age where it can hurt them. I read around on here and everywhere says Non-medicated only. Ok..I have raised ducks before and always bought unmedicated, but they kinda showed up as I was walking out to the car with my 50# bag of medicated chick starter. I really didn't want to have to buy different food, but I will if it is necissary. I asked them there and they said it is fine. I don't want to hurt the babies....so I haven't given them anything yet...they were dropped off ehind the building to fend for themselves at all of 2 or 3 weeks..1 has a few feathers near the wings and both have tail feathers starting to pop out.

 

[Cheri]

Ok I got my first ducks when they were days old. They told me to start them off with chick starter. I still have my ducks (except for one who got ran over) 4 years later.

 

[Bec]

Was it Unmedicated?

 

[Cheri]

I have no clue. They called it broiler starter. I think it was medicated. It is the same one they gave me for my chicks.

 

[mlheran]

Everything I've read about ducks (of any age) says you shouldn't put medication in their feed -with the way they eat there is no way to control how much they're getting.

From Dave Holderread's book:
"Ducks are frequently poisoned when fed medicated chicken or turkey feeds. The problem seems to stem from the fact that in proportion to their body weight, ducks eat more feed than land fowl, getting an overdose of the medication."

"If medicated feed must be used, dilute the potency of the drug by providing an abundant supply of succulent greens and mix rolled, cracked, or small, whole grains with the feed."

"Unless you have no other choice, do not use medicated rations, particularly if the birds are not able to forage some of their own nourishment."

If it were me, I wouldn't feed it. You'd do better with gamebird ration -as long as it was unmedicated.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Our ducklings and goslings arrive tomorrow. We drove 70 miiles this weekend to find a tractor supply store. They sell Dumor chick starter/grower twenty percent it is unmedicated and is ok for chicks,geese and ducks, gamebrids and chuckars. We have four feed stores in town but they all carry medicated feed. This food iis OK for birth until 10 weeks. For ducks and geese. I know it was along drive but i would rather do that then hurt our new babies. Micki

 

[allen wranch]

Try Purina Flock Raiser. It is formulated for mixed breeds of poultry that are fed together.

 

[nuchickmama]

I started our ducks with the Dumor 24% and also our 30 chicks. It was unmedicated. However, our ducks are not big eaters compared to the chicks. The 5 little ones in the brooder eat more than the 2 ducks. They are now on 20% un medicated.

 

[Cheri]

My ducks are huge! I will do the same thing I did then when I get my new ducks. If it ain't broke I ain't gonna fix it.

 

[Bec]

Well I went to the local feed store..not the one they came from...I got unmedicated food for them..the purina Starter. I work at Tractor Supply, we were just out of what I needed...which is why I went to the other store to begin with. my chickens have been on the Dumor chick starter since day one...we just sell out fast this time of year.

Well the ducklings will be safe now..they are all set up with the unmedicated and it seems as if they havent had food in a while..they were REALLY hungry!! Poor little bebes. I have raised ducklings and goslings and everytime was on the unmedicated..it just didnt sound right to me for them to eat the medicated food.