What to feed my baby duck?

Question

I have read so many conflicting things. We had an adult duck adopt us. We loved her so much but a dog killed her. She was easy to take care of though. She caught most of her own food plus ate cat food, scraps, and my son always brought her home minnows and fish. So we just had to go get another one. But it's tiny baby. We went to the feed store and got chicken starter. But she won't eat it!!! We have to go catch her grasshoppers every day. I know you're not supposed to give them bread but I tried mixing specs of bread with the starter food and she still picks through and only eats the bread. I tried shredded lettuce, broccoli, boiled eggs. What do I do with her? I also gave her some bird gravel and have it in her pen at all times. We are on social security so I just don't have the money to buy crickets and feeder goldfish or guppies. She eats a dozen at a time? Also, is this normal? I feed her 12 grasshoppers twice a day. She ate 8 little goldfish at once. HELP.

Someone isn't reading my question!!! I said I got chick starter, she won't eat it. We live on 3 acres with lots of animals. She won't eat greens, or boiled eggs. She ignores them. She will only eat grasshoppers and fish. She is yellow with a black tail. Not a wild duck. How do I get her to eat the chick starter???? That was my main question. Or any other suggestions on how to get her to eat what she is supposed to. Yes she is tiny. She has down, no feathers.

Answer 1

All feed stores will carry what you need. Ask for "chick starter crumbles" which is fed to all kinds of poultry chicks. That includes ducklings and goslings and chicks.

After a couple months of this, you can mix in "cracked corn" and then keep adding more corn and less of the chick starter crumbles. Eventually, your duck will eat just the corn.

A duckling could eat the cracked corn now, but because chick starter crumbles are designed for babies, it contains a lot of nutrients not found in plain grains. That's important when they are youngsters.

Answer 2

I feed animals/birds/fish whatever they eat, we most people. It not a hard thing. Baby Ducks may need Baby Chick Feed then give them Chops (Ground/Chopped Corn). I had a house in the country and had built a fish pond, during the fall Mallard Ducks would drop in for a rest. I gave them Chops and they seem to eat well and some stayed longer than others. My Dog helped protect them, so, they felt safe from predators. Buy feed at a Farm Supply Store or Co-Op.

Answer 3

Sounds like a behavior management issue. Id get a bag of birdseed (containing wheat, milo, corn, sunflower), sprout them until they are about 3 to four inches tall,pull them and feed them to your duck. You may need to make a fish soup of any kind and float them in the bowl of soup. Stop feeding fish at least for awhile, but actually fish as a protein supplement as what ducks need. A treat of a feeder goldfish, guppy or wild-caught crappie is a good idea but do it for "good duck behavior." Also try raising your own duckweed.

Answer 4

Doesn't sound all that tiny. Go back to the feed store, and tell them your problem. They will sell you some other food the duck should eat--mixed grains should work. If you continue to feed grasshoppers and fish, the duck won't want to eat anything else.

Answer 5

Feed game bird starter, chick starter , or a commercially prepared waterfowl starter for the first 4-6 weeks. NEVER feed medicated chick starter or poultry feed, as this is fatal to your ducklings. Also anything moldy is FATAL to your ducks of all ages! Bread, although thought of as the ideal "duck food," is also dangerous to ducklings, because it expands in their crop and chokes them. Bread should never be fed to ducks of any age, especially those in parks and ponds. Use a plastic or galvanized feeder. Always provide clean, fresh drinking water. Use a shallow bowl to which you have added a few clean, small pebbles. This will prevent the ducklings from drowning. After ducks are in the pond or water source, you may feed floating fish food or dog food in very small amounts. Switch their basic diet to a good quality unmedicated waterfowl or poultry ration, usually available at most feed stores.

Answer 6

Ohh thats easy, go to the pet store or duck store and ask them the food that is needed to feed your duck. Trust me, dont feed it anything that you are not sure that is helpful or harmful just ask the pet master.

Answer 7

If you don't live where there is a pond and shelter to protect the duck you shouldn't have a duck, they are wild.
Any how, it all depends on what kind of duck you have.
Most baby ducks eat cornmeal. Ducks should not eat meat. They eat grains, and vegables. You need to look up some research on the peticular duck you have. It sounds like you have no idea what they need.

Answer 8

That's a good question!

Answer 9

feed what u feed adults,feed it baby chick food also,worms,etc.