How To Take Care Of Adult Ducks

Ducks grow quickly, and within a matter of time, they will have grown into adults. Even as they get older, they still need to be taken care of like the ducklings. They are still growing and will need to be nourished. 

The feeder should be clean and dry. If there are any areas of the feeder that are sharp, use duct tape to cover them up. Keep the feeder in a secure area within their dwelling space.

They should eat pellet food that contains enough protein for them. If they are laying eggs, they should consume no more than 18 percent protein in their food. If they are not laying eggs, the maximum amount should be 16 percent. 

It’s dangerous to provide older ducks with excessive amounts of protein because it can affect their wings. Angel wing is a condition that makes their wings sit up instead of laying down. On the other hand, if they don’t get an adequate amount of protein, they will not be able to lay eggs properly.

Older ducks can eat green vegetables. Allow them to eat grass and weeds if they live outside. Vegetables or at least green vegetables should always be part of their daily diet. You can also feed them hard boiled eggs. The eggs should be chopped up. Along with that, they can eat small insects, including worms. Any treats that the ducks get should be rationed to about two weekly servings. You cannot allow the ducks to overeat the treats or they can die.

Do not feed them whole corn because it could mess with their digestive system. They can consume cracked corn. Cracked corn is more beneficial for them during the winter season. Cracked corn has quite a bit of protein.

Make sure that the older ducks have water. It helps the food digest and the water can be used for them to clean their beaks. They should always have water or else they could choke while they are eating. Change out their water every day. Using stones and marbles in the pan of your waterer can prevent your ducks from submerging themselves into the water. This keeps them from getting wet and chilled or even possibly drowning.

The food should never be stale and out of date. Don’t leave food in the feeder. It can quickly contract bacteria. Change out the food if the ducks are not consuming it in a timely manner.

Make sure that the feeder always has food that is good for their health. Don’t give them seeds or it could mess with their digestive system. They will not get any benefit from eating food that humans eat. Definitely refrain from giving them chocolate. Chocolate is not good for them and they could die. 

Never cage your birds near a water source that they can see but not reach. This will cause your birds to frantically pace the walls of their enclosure in a behaviour commonly known as running the fence. When ducks demonstrate this type of behaviour it’s out of extreme stress. This level of anxiety can cause your ducks not to eat and potentially die.