Feed mixtures - a simple solution to the problem of nutrition of farm animals and poultry, because with their help it is possible to saturate the body of animals with the necessary nutrients without special selection of products. A positive aspect of the use of such products is the possibility of self-preparation of compound feed, the main thing is to know what ducks need and in what proportions. We will talk about this.

Composition of feed for ducks

Before proceeding to the creation of a feed mixture for ducks, figure out which particular components are not enough for birds. Representatives of the meat and egg directions of the poultry will need different feed compositions:

1. Ground corn and wheat: perfectly absorbed by ducks and equally suitable for feeding meat and egg types. Grain mixtures can occupy 50-60% of the diet of birds, the main thing is to give them grains in crushed form (whole grains are slowly digested and cause problems with growth).
2. Oilseed rape and sunflower. Better than other wastes positively affect the digestion of ducks. You can diversify food waste peanuts and soybeans, but only if they are freely available (stale products negatively affect the health of birds).
3. Juicy feed in the form of seasonal berries and fruits. Ducks eat peaches, apricots, strawberries, plums, cherries, cherries and some other sweet fruits. The main thing is the mandatory lack of bone. Such food is a source of vitamins and minerals necessary for the bird, which are easily absorbed by the duck organism.
4. Animal feed - Supplementation of the basic diet, especially when it comes to raising poultry meat breeds. In addition, eggs and dairy products are great for feeding ducklings, helping to replenish protein reserves. At an older age, when using dairy products, you will have to take into account the direction of the breed: for rushing ducks, part of the animal production does not exceed 10%, and for meat varieties - 20%.

The following ingredients will add to the usual grain mixes and seasonal feed:

1. Fish flour - a substance that should be used when feeding poultry meat. Of course, on the first day after the birth of ducklings, it is better not to give such an additive, but from 10 days its share in the diet of young animals reaches 15%, with a further increase as the ducks mature.
2. Shredded chalk and shells - a source of calcium, which is necessary for ducks at any stage of their growth and development. Moreover, the solid particles of shells improve the digestion of food, for which it is enough to include only 2-3% of this product in the diet.
3. Fodder yeast. This protein supplement includes a large number of trace elements and beneficial amino acids, among which magnesium, iron, chromium, sodium and nickel occupy the first places in usefulness. Yeast is mixed with the main part of the prepared feed mixture, but in a proportion of not more than 1 g per 1 kg of live weight of the bird.
4. Greenery (crushed hay in winter), which is a source of B vitamins, as well as vitamins A and E. Most of the rest, these components are needed for duck eggs and those individuals whose eggs are selected for further incubation (emerging chicks will grow and gain weight better) .

Important! Even in the summer, you should not transfer ducks only to green feed, because for normal development, birds certainly need grain and mineral additives.

Types of feed for ducks

Based on the composition and purpose, all ready-mixed feed mixtures can be divided into several types: full-dose (can be used independently, without adding other food to the menu), concentrates, protein-vitamin supplements and premixes. Of course, the latter cannot be called compound feed in the full sense of the word, but some farmers call this the additional nutrients that are used in addition to the main diet. Consider the features of each of these types.

Full-fledged

The composition of complete feed mixtures includes nutrients and biologically active substances, which are enough to exclude other types of food from the diet of ducks. Such compounds are characterized by a pleasant smell and digestibility, so you can not worry about the well-being of birds (even when given in dry form).

You can buy feed in a store specializing in farm animal nutrition. The main thing that you need to consider before buying is the age of birds, because for growing birds it is advisable to focus on the designation on the packaging “growth” or “start”.

Compound feed concentrate

Concentrated feed mixtures can be considered an additive to the main diet of ducks. Based on the type of product, its use will help compensate for the lack of proteins, fats, amino acid compounds, mineral components and vitamins in the body, which is important not only for large agricultural farms, but also for small poultry farms.As in the previous case, based on the age of birds, you need to focus on the markings "Starter" (for ducklings from birth to 21 days), "Grover" (from 21 to 49 days), "Finish" (from 49 days after birth ) Concentrates are mixed in mixes or dry feed mixtures.

Protein and Vitamin Supplements

This variant of feed mixtures, both in appearance and in purpose, differs from previous products. Protein-vitamin supplements are presented in the form of a powder mixture, which includes minerals, antibiotics, vitamins and protein concentrates, which complement the diet of ducks. BVD cannot be used as an independent product.

Premixes

Unlike protein and vitamin supplements, premixes do not have a protein component, so when using such products, protein will have to be added separately. For the rest, this is an addition to the main feed or compound feed, as is the BVD. Premixes are delivered in small packets and are presented in the form of a homogeneous dry powder of brown, cream, yellow or completely white, which can be dispensed with wet mixers and with dry feed.

Did you know? When walking, ducks do not feel the cold, even if they swim in ice water or walk in the snow for a long time. The fact is that their paws are devoid of nerve endings and blood vessels.

Consumption rates

The norms for issuing a feed mixture to ducks per day depend on their age and are always marked by the manufacturer on the packaging. On average, the following amount of useful components (per day) falls on 1 head under the age of 45 days:

• crushed wheat - 22 g;
• crushed barley - 30 g;
• crushed peas - 12 g;
• linseed or soybean meal - 8 g;
• soybean meal - 5 g;
• meat and bone meal - 3 g;
• fish meal - 9 g;
• feed fat - 4 g.

After 45 days, the amount of some foods in the duck's diet is increased, which means that the daily menu will also be different. For example, instead of 12 g of crushed peas, you can give the bird 20 g of this product, the amount of flaxseed meal is useful to increase by 2 g, and feed fat - by 1.5 g. At the same time, the amount of wheat is reduced by 2 g, and fish meal - by 7 g (adult duck population does not need more than 2 g of such an additive per day).If you do not use complete feed, then some minerals will have to be added to the feed mixture (in mg per 1 kg of feed mixture):

• iron - 20;
• Manganese - 45;
• iodine - 1.0;
• copper - 2.5.

Important! When calculating the required amount of additives, you should always focus on the recommendations of the manufacturer, since an excess of nutrients can lead to irreversible consequences in the health of birds.

Top Duck Feed Manufacturers

There are many mixed feeds on the market that are used for fattening ducks at different stages of their life. Depending on the age category of birds, they can be conditionally divided into several species, according to which marking is performed, for example:

1. PK-21 great for ducklings in the first three weeks of their life and is used, starting from 20 g per 1 head per day, with a daily increase of 2 g. If you follow the dosage recommendations, at the end of the third week the chicks should add about 550 g.
2. PK-22 - guarantees a quick set of muscle mass of ducklings, up to 40 g per day. This option is used to feed twenty-day and older chicks. In summer, feed can be given to the bird along with chopped herbs, on average about 80 g per day.
3. PK-23 - It is used for feeding duck young from 9 to 26 weeks, as well as adult ducks during egg production. On average, 160-170 g of feed mixture per 1 bird per day, with a possible increase in this amount depending on the age of the bird and season. This option is best issued in the form of a mash.

The well-known manufacturers of feed mixtures include:

1. "Purina." This manufacturer produces two lines of feed for waterfowl: a starter and a finisher, which are aimed at ducks up to 1 month old and older. In addition to the grain component (represented by wheat and corn), the compound feed includes all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the bird's body, and the indisputable advantage of this manufacturer is the absence of growth hormones in its products. The initial dosage of the feed mixture is 50-150 g, and subsequently its amount is increased to 200 g per 1 adult per day.
2. Company "O.L.KAR." with its feed "Accelerate" (include a large set of vitamins, minerals and amino acid compounds). It can be used both for ducks and for other poultry, when mixed with dry feed or wet mixers.
3. Missy company. It produces compound feed for waterfowl up to three years old and after three weeks of life. The composition of the mixture contains components such as soybean and sunflower meal, corn, wheat, fats, amino acids and animal proteins.
4. JSC "BioPro", feed "ProFerm". Granular feed is used not only for ducks, but also for other varieties of poultry. Ducks and turkeys are given a mixture starting from the 27th day of life, calculated at 200-240 g per bird per day. The main components of the product are grain, protein, amino acids and vitamin-mineral supplements.
5. Agroportal. This company, among other products, produces combined feed for meat ducklings and adult poultry. It includes a whole set of vitamins and minerals, as well as amino acids and a probiotic, supplementing nutritious cereal components, meal, meal and meat and bone meal. The rate of delivery of the feed mixture is average, and for an adult bird is 150-200 g per head per day.

Did you know? Despite the fact that the neck of ducks is not very long, the number of vertebrae in it exceeds their number in the neck of a giraffe.

How to cook and how to give compound feed to ducks?

Self-prepared feed must necessarily consist of the same nutritional components as the finished product. This means that, depending on the age of the birds, their daily diet can include:

• corn;
• wheat
• oats;
• peas;
• barley;
• bran;
• sunflower meal;
• vitamin and mineral supplements.

In addition to the components of a homemade feed mixture, it is worth paying attention to the consistency of the finished product. Food should not be too watery or excessively dry, otherwise the bird will suffer from digestive problems or even lose appetite. The recipe for compound feeds directly depends on the age of the ducks, so each age stage should be paid more attention.

Video: How to cook feed for ducks

In the first 10 days of life

During this period, young ducks deserve special attention, since the digestive system of ducklings is just beginning to form and is easy to harm. In the first few days of life, it is better to feed the chicks with minced meat, without adding any other products to it. From the age of three days, low-fat cottage cheese, chopped corn, wheat, oats and barley are introduced into the diet of the kids, mixing everything in equal proportions.

To facilitate the process of consumption of solid food, it is better to make compound feed from boiled or steamed grain. The feed rate per day at this stage of development of young animals should be 50-100 g.

The recommended proportions of ingredients in a home-made combined feed for chicks under the age of ten days are as follows (calculated per head per day):

• crushed grain - 15-20 g;
• green feed - 25 g;
• minced egg - 10 g;
• low fat cottage cheese - 3 g;
• wheat bran - 5 g;
• soybean meal - 3 g;
• boiled meat waste - 5 g;
• chalk - 1 g;
• bone meal - 0.5 g;
• fodder yeast - 0.2 g.

In addition to these components, grated carrots are added to the menu, in a daily amount of not more than 5% of the total volume of food. The frequency of feeding the chicks at this stage of their life is 6-8 times a day.

Important! Add bread to the diet of ten-day-old chicks is not worth it, as it often causes fermentation processes in an immature stomach.

10 days to a month

From this age, chicks are fed with fishmeal, while increasing the proportion of protein food to 7%. As before, the basis of the menu is crushed cereals, but with a minimum fiber content, which will ensure complete assimilation of food. Sunflower meal can be up to 20% of the diet, and for the accelerated growth of birds it is useful to add fodder yeast (not more than 5% of the total daily amount of feed). In general, the daily rate of homemade compound feed may look like this (in grams per head):

• wheat - 47 g;
• corn - 10 g;
• barley - 15 g;
• sunflower meal - 9 g;
• feed yeast - 7 g;
• crushed shell and chalk - 2 g;
• table salt - 0.1 g.

They will diversify the birds menu using another recipe, alternating it with the previous version (in grams per 1 head per day):

• wheat - 49 g;
• corn - 10 g;
• barley - 16.5 g;
• sunflower meal - 8 g;
• feed yeast - 4 g;
• fish meal - 7 g;
• grass meal - 4 g;
• crushed chalk and shell - 1.4 g;
• table salt - 0.1 g.

Dry feed mixes should alternate with wet mixers, which are easy to prepare. 10 kg of the dry mixture must be filled with 300-350 ml of fat-free kefir and mix until it is friable. If desired, egg mince and powdery mealy feeds are added to the mixture.

From one month

Starting from 5 weeks, the diet of ducklings approaches the diet of their adult relatives. The proportion of protein in feed can be reduced, while increasing part of the other components. During this period, the diet of birds may have the following form (in g per 1 duck per day):

• corn - 50 g;
• sunflower meal - 20-25 g;
• wheat - 25 g;
• feed fat - 7 g;
• fishmeal and yeast - 10 g each.

The approximate amount of feed per day is 100-200 g per head, and the older the duck, the greater should be the proportion of cereals in the feed.

Is it possible to give ducks different feed?

In addition to animal feed, there are many other varieties of such products for ducks, so in the absence of specialized nutrition, farmers buy any mixed feed available to them: for chickens, pigs, or even cattle. Talking about a balanced diet in this case is inappropriate, but this does not mean that you should immediately abandon this opportunity. Consider the features of the application of two popular types of premixes in feeding ducks.

Pork

Pork compound feed can be fed only to musky ducks or representatives of other meat breeds grown for the purpose of obtaining meat. In such mixtures, most of the composition is occupied by cereals, contributing to the rapid weight gain, while ducks will grow longer on the pasture.For one bird per day should be at least 150 g of feed for pigs.

For egg breeds, such food is undesirable, because obese ducks will not be able to rush well.

Chicken

Prepared feeds for waterfowls are different from mixtures for chickens and turkeys, but in extreme cases, they can be used interchangeably. For example, feed mixtures for broiler breeds are also suitable for meat ducks, and varieties for laying hens can be safely used when feeding ducks of egg direction.From the fifth day of their life, musky ducks can receive dry compound feed of the “PK-5” marking, intended for young broilers. After the first month of life, the grown-up ducks can be fed into the feeders mixed feed designed for laying hens (“PK-1”) or mixed chicken and pork mixed feeds. A day, one duck can eat 200-250 g of the mixture, but the exact amount depends on top dressing with herbs or minerals.

Thus, a combined feed for ducks of different ages can be prepared independently, because the ingredients for it are available. If you don’t have time to create mixes according to the above recipes, you can purchase finished products, especially since its choice is unlimited.