Getting Ready for Your Ducklings and Goslings: Feed and Feeder

Welcome back to our series of posts to help you get ready BEFORE your ducklings and goslings arrive!

To read our post on the brooder and bedding, go to Getting Ready for Your Ducklings and Goslings: Brooder and Bedding.

To read our post on water and waterers, go to Getting Ready for Your Ducklings and Goslings: Water and Waterer.

Feed

A lot of people, especially first time duck owners, do not know what to feed their ducklings. That's fine though. We're happy to educate those that don't know.

Newly hatched ducklings and goslings need crumble starter feed as shown above which has at least 20% crude protein. Ideally you would find starter feed specifically formulated for waterfowl, but starter feed for chickens is fine so long as it has at least 20% crude protein. Any less and there can be growth problems in the future.

We do offer bags of waterfowl starter feed, but we do suggest visiting your local feed store first as shipping is expensive.

Feeder

Using a chick feeder allows them to get at the food, but not allow them to walk in it. This type of feeder will need to be exchanged for something bigger as they grow.

Feeder elevated on a 2x4. The feeder can be replaced with a shallow dish.

A shallow dish to hold the feed will work fine, but it gives the ducklings and goslings the ability to hop in and make a mess. Raising it up with a brick or block is an option - at least until they are older.

We offer feeders as well, but we still suggest visiting your local feed store first.