[northfifeduckling]

mum behaves as if she's never had porridge so I'm worried that she won't show her wee ones to tuck into it - where do I get duck crumbs (Monday I'll venture towards Dunblane via Perth) asap? Blacks in Colessie don't stock them...

[mojocafa]

When i was struggling without chick crumb I gave mine some crushed digestive biscuits and weetabix.

[northfifeduckling]

not so sure about salt and refined sugar for babies...porridge worked well for last year's duckling. Chick crumbs have some medication in them ducklings shouldn't have.

[mojocafa]

I give all my chicks and ducklings digestive biscuits and they thrive. On the recent thread by fib about no chick crumb, Victorian farmer also advised digestives. He feeds his chicks it for 2 weeks and if its good enough for him, then it's good enough for me! Chick crumb is ok for ducklings as long it's non medicated.

[ellied]

I got a bag of crumb for my chick from Blacks but it's not chick crumb and not medicated, it's for game and turkeys, Mike uses it himself for his hen chicks and reckons it's high protein but suitable.  I may have bought the last bag and Mike is away to Ireland with a Clydie so I don't know if it's suitable but I've only a single chick if you want to try some on your duck..  I've no idea what nutritional differences there are for duckling needs tho 

I'm around today and will be in Newburgh briefly tomorrow early aft but otherwise here tomorrow too..

[northfifeduckling]

Thanks, Ellie, I'll pm you tonight if I need it! Sounds like good stuff. I'll watch how it goes with porridge today and maybe steal a digestive from my daughter  . I just had a delivery from Blacks day before yesterday but as I never know when they can fit me in forgot to put the crumbs on special order...I'm coming through your way tomorrow afternoon, but I'll let you know by tonight. 

[lilfeeb]

we buy our waterfowl crumbs and growers pellets from Carrs Billington at Milnathort, they don't always have them in, so its best to phone and order them ready for collection. Not sure about the crumb as we bought our bag of that a while back but the duck and goose growers pellets are £11.70 for  a 25KG bag. Wouldn't go there this weekend mind you the area will be mobbed with T in the Park traffic. 

[HesterF]

Or order it on line. I get all my poultry feed  - including waterfowl crumb - from Farm and Pet place and if you phone them up, they might be able to get you a fast order through for delivery Saturday. Otherwise it'd be Monday, I imagine (normally takes two working days from when I place my on-line order). It costs £2.50 delivery for a 20kg sack which in my book is worth it for the petrol saved.

H

[northfifeduckling]

Thanks, folks!
the ducklings have now accepted my porridge! This worked well for us before although now it's a bit more work-intensive cooking for 8 wee ones rather than the 1 last year. Buying on-line will be the option to go as Carrs Billington told me that their poultry feeds are not GM free and as long as I can I would go for the GM free option. I've ordered before from the farm and pet people, they're really nice and helpful with anyhthing. Should have asked them but I thought I might get into a lot of time pressure when the wee ones didn't want to eat porridge 

[ferretkeeper]

I had goslings hatch completely unexpectedly this year, my fault for not marking down when the mums started sitting and totally lost track of days   

But it takes a good week for my feed place to order in anything special and a few days to buy on-line so I just soaked some coarse mix, made it up with plenty of water, and they all loved it!

I did try grinding it all down in my blender first but that killed it, so not going to do that again 

but also I'm not going to bother buying special food in future, they all now go and clear up after the sheep have been fed so no waste, great!