Backyard Poultry Forum

What is better to feed the duclings
Duck starter or chicken starter or is it the same thing?

Duck starter.

Ducklings have much higher nutritional needs than ducklings. Chick starter is often not adequate, especially if you have larger or fast growing ducks.

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

Thanks for the answer 70% cocoa.
I'm expecting mandarin ducklings in week and a half.
Does it need to be medicated starter or not.
I have and breed pheasants, but this is first time I'm hatching ducks.

Pretty exciting!! Hope you have a good hatch.

These days medicated feed is safe for ducks. It used to be the case that the substances used in medicated feeds were not safe for ducks but these days newer, safe medications are used. However it is not necessary to use medicated feed for ducklings. So basically it doesn't matter if you use medicated or unmedicated feed.

Since these are ornamental ducks and you don't want them to grow too fast I would have them on the duck starter (which is quite high protein) for the first three weeks only. Then switch to something like Laucke Gamebird Maintenance which has all the required vitamins and minerals without the really high protein and without too much calcium (growing youngsters don't need excessive calcium). It's kind of like a pullet grower but suitable for waterfowl.

That's what I do with my ducklings.

Good luck with the hatch

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

Thanks,
I have 6 fertile eggs under the duck and 1 in the incubator.
I'm also growing duck weed, i heard it's really good food the ducks and other poultry too.
The same duck layed 14 eggs 1 1/2 months ago , all clear and now this time layed 9 eggs 7 fertile. The second duck has 6 eggs, all clear and then i found her dead next to the pond. I was so upset and disappointed and now so excited.
Will let you know how I went.
Cheers

I use Vella chick starter, the label says it's suitable for chickens, ducklings and young pheasants.
It has a plant based medication based on oregano.
I also feed my chickens, ducklings and young pheasants duck weed.

Thanks Swayne!
I will have to check where i can find that one here in Melbourne .

They will enjoy the duck weed

Really sorry you lost your duck. That must've been a terribly sad discovery.

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

Thanks 70% cocoa
I was surprised , cause she was good and healthy, not sure how old she was. The only thing i noticed was. She layed a few eggs with no shell on them, otherwise everything looked good.