Bubbles Feathered Beauties

One of the main things that you have to remember when caring for any animal is they  always require FRESH WATER and GOOD QUALITY FEED along with proper shelter to get out of the wind and the elements.

Never EVER feed a feed that looks or smells bad or moldy or has bugs in it!!

When purchasing day old or very young chicks especially of the smaller breeds of chickens or quail make sure you blend their feed in a blender so it is in an almost powder form.  Most  crumbles are still too large for them to be able to eat the full amount of feed required and a  lot of babies die of starvation because of this.  

Feeding Ducks and Geese 

One of the main issues with feeding ducks and geese is most feeds are too low in Niacin for what is required for a healthy duck or goose.   There are a few options that you can do to compensate the lack of Niacin in their feed ration.   

Niacin is also known as Vitamin B3.    Niacin, or Vitamin B3, is an essential nutrient for young bones as they develop and grow. It also helps the body use fat, carbs and protein and turn it all into energy.     A water-soluble amino acid, niacin is necessary for both chickens and ducks, but ducks need more than chickens do, and niacin isn't stored in the body, so they need a steady supply of it in their diet   

Ducklings grow super fast, so without strong legs to support their every-increasing body weight, they can really suffer the effects of a niacin deficiency pretty quickly.

Since ducks also don't absorb niacin as efficiently as chickens do, while you can feed ducklings regular (un-medicated) chick feed, it's a good idea to add some supplemental niacin to it to ensure that they are getting enough of the vitamin.

Ducklings and Goslings that don't get enough niacin might be shaky on their feet, unwilling to walk, or start sitting back on their haunches.   Their legs might bow out to the sides.

I personally like to sprinkle a bit of Brewer's Yeast  or Brewers Yeast with garlic over my ducklings and goslings feed every day. 

If you want to add just brewers Yeast to their diet here is an option for that.

It is called  AniMed Pure Brewers Yeast.

 If you would like to add Brewers Yeast as well as Garlic, here is an option for that.

 It is called Fresh Eggs Daily Brewers Yeast with Garlic powder.

I personally also add Calf Manna Performance  Pellet Supplement

 as well as Black Oil Sunflower Seeds    (BOSS)  to ALL my birds feeds.

Another additive that you can add to your ducks and geese water is Niacinamide.

They usually come in 500 mg pills and they can be diluted in their water to ensure everyone gets a more equal amount of the required Niacin.

Ducks and Geese Require 10 mg of Niacin a day to thrive.

Niacin levels in these 2 supplements ;

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds   ( BOSS )  :  20.46 mg 

Brewers Yeast :   10.63 mg

Manna Pro Mineral Supplement :  25 mg / lb

Some Food Sources For Adding Niacin To Their Diet

• Green peas are a very good source of Niacin for your waterfowl and they just love them.
  
• Sweet Potatoes  -  Raw or Cooked
• Peaches
• Unsalted Peanuts  -  Chopped up for the younger birds
• Tuna Fish
• Salmon  (salmon skin can also be given)
• Sardines
• Wheat bran or Wheat Germ
• Brussel Sprouts
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Turkey
• Chicken

The niacin requirement for ducks per NRC is 55 ppm, or 55 mg/kg, or 25 mg / lb depending on how it is calculated. 

I have highlighted the Niacin doses that are in the feeds on my Excel chart I have created which is listed below for your personal information if you would like to download it.

Niacin is not something that feed companies are legally liable to put on a feed tag so just because I don't have something written or you don't see it on a feed tag does not mean they don't have it in their feed.

Ducks VS Chickens Niacin Requirments : 55 mg/kg niacin compared to only 27-35 mg/kg for chicks. 

Too low of Niacin can cause serious leg issues as well as other medical problems.

A good Vitamin boost for freshly hatched chicks or birds that are lacking in vitamins or seem week is

  Poly-Vi-Sol Without Iron.    It is also great just for an added boost for the freshly hatched chicks.  It helps to give them a boost from the stress of hatching.  I personally add it to every single first dish of water for all my hatchlings.

You can add this to their water or give them a few drops directly in their mouth.  Make sure not to put it into their lungs.

It is commonly used for babies with wry neck or waterfowl lacking Niacin to give them an added boost.

As well as the additives I described above, here is a breakdown of what my Beauties are fed.   I mainly feed Purina Products.    All Measurements are mixed in a separate feed tub and then fed from that tub after mixed.

This is only a suggestion for feeding, you may either feed the same or come up with your own feed regiment

Measurements can vary slightly once in a while depending on the weather..

Scratch can be a good additive as corn takes longer to digest which helps with body heat for those colder days and nights.

BOSS is short for Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

Turkeys

1 Scoop Either :

Purina Medicated Starter    or    Purina Flock Raiser

 (depending on age and if breeding season or not decides what is mixed for those specific birds)

IF, it is breeding season, 1 Scoop of Purina Layena Crumbles is added to the mix.

1 heaping  TBSP  of fine grade oyster shells

1 Scoop Purina Flock Raiser

1/8 th scoop  BOSS

1/8 th Scoop  Calf Manna Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Chickens

All chicks are fed Purina Medicated Chick Starter at hatch

The smaller bantam style chicks, I blend their feed in a blender for the first few weeks so I can ensure even the smallest of babies are getting enough feed as some of the crumbles can be too large for them to eat.   By mixing it in a blender it creates a much smaller blend for the smaller size chicks to be able to eat

Pre-Layers

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop Boss

1/8 Scoop Manno Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8 Scoop Rolled Oats

Layers

1 Scoop of Purina Layena Crumbles

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1 heaping  TBSP  of fine grade oyster shells

1/8 th scoop  BOSS

1/8 th Scoop  Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Roo Pens

1 Scoop Purina Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop BOSS

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Peacocks

All chicks are fed Purina Medicated Chick Starter at hatch

Pre-Layers

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop Boss

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Layers

1 Scoop of Purina Layena Crumbles

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1 heaping  TBSP  of fine grade oyster shells

1/4 th scoop  BOSS

1/4 th Scoop  Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Cock Pens

1 Scoop Purina Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop BOSS

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8th Scoop Rolled Oats

Ducks  &  Geese

All chicks are fed Purina Flock Raiser at hatch

1  heaping TBSP  Brewers Yeast or Brewers Yeast with Garlic Powder

1 Capsule Niacinamide in drinking water

Pre-Layers

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop Boss

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/4 Scoop Rolled Oats

1  heaping TBSP  Brewers Yeast or Brewers Yeast with Garlic Powder

1 Capsule Niacinamide in drinking water

Layers

1 Scoop of Purina Layena Crumbles

1 Scoop Flock Raiser

1 heaping  TBSP  of fine grade oyster shells

1 heaping  TBSP of Brewers Yeast or Brewers Yeast with Garlic Powder

1/4 th scoop  BOSS

1/4 th Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/2 to 3/4 Scoop Rolled Oats

1 Capsule Niacinamide in drinking water

Drake Pens

1 Scoop Purina Flock Raiser

1/8 Scoop BOSS

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/4 to 1/2  Scoop Rolled Oats

1  Heaping TBSP of Brewers Yeast or Brewers Yeast with Garlic Powder

1 Capsule Niacinamide in drinking water

Emu

Babies up to a year old

1 Scoop Mazruri Ratite Starter

1 Scoop Manna Pro Select Series  Pro Formula Rabbit Pellet

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8 Scoop BOSS

Up to Breeding Age as well as Non Breeding Season

1 Scoop Mazuri Emu Maintenance

1 Scoop Manna Pro Select Series  Pro Formula Rabbit Pellet

1/8 Scoop Manna Pro Mineral Supplement

1/8 Scoop BOSS

I am in the process of working on a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that has the nutrient requirements per animal that I sell.  As I work on it, I will upload the current version for you so check back often to see what has been added.  I have a very busy schedule so I will post dates on the updates so you know if you have the current version or not.  

HAVE PATIENCE as it is going to take some time and a lot of research to complete it.

The information on the spreadsheet is a guideline only.   

I am in no way promoting any specific feed company.

It is up to you to choose which product best suits what you are looking for.  

The company product information has been copied either from their web site or from their feed tags that are on the bags. 

Latest updated Version  1/4/2019

If there is a feed brand you would like me to add to the list please send me an email at  [email protected]