If you want to keep ducks as pets, you should invest in their proper nutrition. This is an investment that will pay off handsomely, not just in profits, but also with the fact that you will have very healthy pets.
Whether they are raised for livestock or for domestic purposes, ducks are great animals to have. However, they have special needs when it comes to proper nutrition. If you do not feed them with the right kinds of food, then they will not grow healthy. Duck malnutrition can cause several illnesses and can also be a fatal case. The wrong diet can cause your pet to discard more waste, making your cleaning a harder task. Before you throw some grains or birdseed to your flock, here is what you should know in getting the proper nutrition for adult or fully grown ducks.
Begin by preparing the feeding equipment, clean and sun-dry the surface of the feeder. If there are sharp edges, you can use duct tape to keep your pets away from any dangerous risks, and then hang the feeder in a safe place near the ducks habitat.
Pick commercial duck feeds that has the suitable amount of protein that is necessary for your ducks health. If your ducks are laying eggs, you should feed them with duck pellets which contain 15-20% protein. On the other hand, if they are non-laying, you can choose a pellet feed with 13-17% protein content. You should take note that too much protein can cause a health condition among ducks called as angel wing which causes the wing feathers to bond together. Inadequate protein in the diet can also cause a multitude of serious health problems, especially if your ducks are laying eggs. Thus, you should consider the condition of your pets before you give feeds with the appropriate protein content.
Aside from protein feeds, you should also give your ducks some green diet composed of chopped vegetables. If your pets are constantly roaming around your farm, allow them to eat some weeds or grass in your field. When you feed your ducks, you should ensure that vegetables or greens are part of their daily food intake.
If your ducks need additional health supplement, you can give them minced hard boiled eggs, garden worms or corn. However, you should avoid giving your ducks whole corn kernels especially if they are still too young, since corns are hard to digest. Give your ducks enough cracked corns especially in the winter, when they need more carbohydrates and proteins. Cracked corn contains at least 50% of the protein they need.
Always give them water during their feeding time. They use water to help them swallow and digest the food. This is very important since lack of water can cause choking. Water is also needed for your pets to clean and groom their beaks and feathers.
Always keep their food fresh. If you think you need to change the food in their feeder because your pets are not eating them then do so, since duck feeds can easily spoil and turn the feeder into a healthy environment for harmful bacteria and microorganisms that can harm your ducks digestive system.