Okay I just realized that I'm about 2 or 3 days from receiving my ducks and geese and I don't have any special food for them. All I've got is chick feed here.
What do they eat?? I know about the water dish to dunk their heads in but I don't have a clue on the correct foods. Do they need grit like the chicks do?
Thanks!
MollyD
Panic time!
Hi
I only had to care for duckling for a week that I ordered for someone else last year so I am no expert. I was told by the woman at the grain store not to feed them chick starter to feed them game bird crumbles , they cannot metabolize the antibotics???
If you don't get definite answer ask at your grain store.
Closest thing to a feed store here is Tractor Supply. I'll ask around tomorrow thanks. Don't know where I would find game bird crumbles.
MollyD
For baby ducks and geese they are usually started on chicken grower mash. When they are bigger than they will go to the egg maker crumbles which can be used on a variety of birds such as ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys,ect. It is a 16% protien. You must be so excited to get them! The biggest thing with not feeding them chick starter is that it cannot be medicated. If its not medicated than it will be fine until you can get something else.
Thanks janastasio. I'm afraid the only chick feed I could find was medicated. All the stores carried basically the same thing. I was online looking and Agway carries a Game Starter for geese and ducks. I will try tomorrow to see if I can get some. Also grit.
Yes I'm very excited. I've never had geese and ducks in my life! This is going to be a very exciting week with so many animals coming to live here at the same time!!!!!!!!!
Thanks!
MollyD
no kidding. and DH is staying around to watch LOL
^_^
tf
Got some Game Feed crumbles this morning and grit. Could not find a 50 pound bag of grit to save my life! Had to settle for a 5 pound bag till I can locate something bigger.
MollyD
Well thats good. That must make you feel better knowing you have something! Where will you get your food from from here? Do you not have anything close by for getting bird feed?
janastasio that was the closest! They will have to be my source for feed. if they're out I have to start calling around till I find a place.
MollyD
I just started a thread in the poultry forum an emergency thread. my baby goose just died, I have 7 more, and They Have coccsidiosis, If they have it, Then what else is a person to do but give them the same medications that's in medicated chick feed?
the guy I bought these off of in the feedstore said medicated feed won't hurt them. I don't have my geese anywhere around my baby chickens that I bought from mcmurray and the chicks have cocci too, and the geese probably got it from what I was wearing when I took care of them.
I 'm hoping to get some replies soon, I'd be calling the guy at the feed store to make sure I could give the geese sulmet. I was going to give it to the sick baby but it died before I could fix the medication for it.
Kathy Ann mine are coming from Ideal. I don't expect them to be ill. What is sulmet?
I'm sorry about your gosling dying. Are you the one in another thread with sick McMurray chicks?
MollyD
Hi kathy_ann. I responded on your other thread....I am so sorry about your gosling. But geese and chicks don't "share" the same species of protazoa causing cocci. Could it be something else? What were you feeding the goslings before this one got sick? If the symptoms are the same it should be something that chickens and waterfowl both get from the same organism. So Sorry.
yes, that's my thread, too Molly, I have sick chicks with cocci too.
and thanksfor your responses.
I appreciate it, didn't mean to take over this thread.
I hear good things about ideal, my local feed store buys their s through ideal poultry
I sure wish you well Kathy Ann
MollyD
Thanks Molly.