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The 9 Best Commercial Duck Foods

Though we commonly imagine ducks living on farms or floating peacefully around your local park's pond, they can make adorable and entertaining pets.

If you've decided to have ducks as backyard friends, one of the most crucial factors to consider is what they'll eat. Ducks are omnivores, which means they eat a range of foods depending on where they live.

Water plants, fish eggs, seeds, grasses, and even frogs are all part of a duck's natural diet. Of course, if they live in your backyard, this type of diet will not work. A commercial duck feed that has all of the nutrients your feathered friends require might be the solution.

In this post, BestForPets (bestforpets.org) will look at and review the best commercial duck foods on the market to help you decide which brand is right for you and your budget.

Reviews

Kalmbach Foods Inc.

When it comes to commercial duck food, we recommend Kalmbach Feeds’ All Natural Duck & Chicken Feed. It’s high in key elements including niacin as well as vitamins and minerals.

It also contains probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and essential oils, which ducks require to keep healthy. The pellets are tiny and bite-sized.

Crush the pellets for smaller ducks and geese in their first few weeks of life to make it easier for them to ingest. Overall, this is a healthy, well-balanced, and fairly priced duck feed, thus it takes the top rank on this occasion.

On the negative, it’s a touch stinky when you open the bag, so be prepared if you have a strong aversion to bad odors!

Pros

  • Nutrient-packed
  • 100% natural ingredients
  • Small, easily consumed pellets

Cons

  • It doesn’t smell very pleasant.

 

Scratch and Peck Foods

Organic Layer 16% Poultry Feed from Scratch and Peck Feeds is our top commercial duck food suggestion. If you have laying ducks, this is a brand you should look into.

The diet provides 16% protein, which helps to build robust shells and produce healthy eggs. It also includes calcium and omega 3 fatty acids. It is made out of seeds and grains and does not contain maize or soy.

It is available in ground form and is suited for hens and ducks over the age of 20 weeks. On the negative, this feed is rather pricey and has a powdered feel.

Pros

  • Protein and calcium are present for healthy eggs.
  • A fantastic choice for laying ducks.
  • Whole grain and soy-free
  • Organic

Cons

  • The texture is powdery.
  • Expensive

 

Mazuri Waterfowl Care Duck & Goose Food

Mazuri’s Waterfowl Service Duck & Geese Food is a little different from the rest of our suggestions. Rather than feeding dry, this meal is designed to float on water.

This is a brand you may try if you have a pond in your garden or a trough where you can put water. It is designed for adult ducks who are not reproducing, thus it is not appropriate for ducklings.

This feed was developed with the goal of reducing waste and providing ducks and geese with a natural eating experience. You do not need to augment Mazuri’s duck and goose feed because it contains all of the nutrients necessary for healthy birds.

Pros

  • Ducks’ natural eating experience
  • It reduces waste.
  • Nutritionally sound

Cons

  • Dry feeding is not recommended.

 

Animal Nutrition Purina Duck feed made by Purina

Purina Duck Feed Pellets were developed particularly for duck growth. One of the nicest things about this feed is that you may feed it to your ducks at every point of their life, from hatching to retirement.

As a result, its contents were chosen to meet the nutritional demands of young hatchlings while they grow, as well as to sustain adult ducks’ immunological and digestive health.

It is available as a pellet and contains probiotics and prebiotics, as well as niacin and other important vitamins and minerals. The price of this duck feed is where it falls short—it is far from the lowest choice available.

Pros

  • Long-term fbood convenience
  • For both developing hatchlings and fully mature adults
  • Duck-specific formulation

Cons

  • Expensive

 

Feeds Manna Pro All Flock Crumbles

Manna Pro’s All Flock Disintegrates Duck Food is an excellent choice for mixed flocks and a wide range of birds, as well as ducks of all shapes and sizes, making it an excellent choice if you have a diverse flock of feathery friends.

It contains 16% protein, contains no artificial colors or flavors, and promotes digestive health. Furthermore, it includes probiotics. It’s also crumbly, so your ducks will have no trouble eating it!

However, there are a few aspects about this feed that we don’t like. The bag size is little in comparison to our other suggestions, and it is pricey for the size you get. It’s also dusty rather than crumbly in texture.

Pros

  • Appropriate for mixed flocks
  • Nutritionally sound
  • There are no artificial colors or flavors.

Cons

  • Dusty
  • Bags that are little and pricey

 

Brown’s Duck & Goose Food for Bird Lovers

Bread is not nutritious for ducks, as has been clear in recent years. If you want to feed your neighborhood park ducks something healthy, try BROWN’s Bird Lover’s Blend Duck & Goose Food instead.

It comes in the shape of pellets and contains nutrients and minerals that help keep duck feathers looking attractive and shining, build bones, and promote digestion and immunity.

What more could a pond or park duck ask for? If you come across a goose or other wild bird at the pond, they can consume this product as well, so carry some if you’re going on a nature walk soon.

The main disadvantage of this feed is that it does not stay long enough for your backyard ducks.

It comes in a 7-pound sack, so you’ll need something more substantial for your own ruminations. This is the sole reason BROWN’s Bird Lover’s Blend is at the bottom of our ranking.

Pros

  • Excellent for taking to the park.
  • An alternative to tossing bread
  • Nutrient-rich

Cons

  • Due to the tiny size of the bag, it is not appropriate for long-term usage.

Conclusion

To summarize, Kalmbach Feeds All Natural Duck and Chicken Feed is the best commercial duck foods, and Scratch & Peck Feeds Naturally Free Organic Layer 16% Poultry Feed wins the premium slot.

BestForPets (bestforpets.org) hope you liked reading about the greatest commercial duck food. We also hope that your band of quackers is impressed by your selection!

Buyer's Guide

The first item to consider when purchasing commercial duck food is the age of the ducks. If you’ve recently obtained some cute hatchlings, a snack labeled “grower” or “layer” will not be appropriate.

Likewise, if you’ve got a duck that you’re hoping would produce good eggs, you don’t want to be giving them stuff for “starters”. Always check the label to ensure that the food is appropriate for the age of your ducks.

You’ll also want to ensure that the food you purchase provides the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that ducks require at various stages of growth.

This should not be an issue if the brand is trustworthy and high-quality, but it’s always a good idea to check out the ingredients and reviews of a product before purchasing.

The final consideration is if you want to feed your own ducks or simply feed the local ducks at the pond on occasion.

Some feeds come in considerably smaller packages and are only meant for infrequent feeding, thus they are not appropriate for your backyard ducks.

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Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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