shootgun Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 Having successfully released my 100 ducklings last Friday, I have laid couple of buckets of barley on the bank, close to the water,until the feeders are getting delivered this weekend. All good but the barley is untouched, but the ducklings seems to be fine. Is it a case of finding natural food in the pond, or I am doing something wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 (edited) Hello, it may go to dry on the bank it needs moisture, try in the water margins so the grain goes soft and edible for young ducks , on my friends farm we don't shoot ducks but any old grain and dryer sweepings goes in long pond , a bit in the margins, the rest goes out in to the deeper water, by September there's lots of duck to see, Edited August 8, 2022 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jall25 Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 Try meal worms We feed these to the young wild ones The soften and float Just now, jall25 said: Try meal worms We feed these to the young wild ones They soften and float Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Find a friendly farmer who has a roller mill and can crush the grain then feed into a wet area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 On 08/08/2022 at 14:08, shootgun said: Having successfully released my 100 ducklings last Friday, I have laid couple of buckets of barley on the bank, close to the water,until the feeders are getting delivered this weekend. All good but the barley is untouched, but the ducklings seems to be fine. Is it a case of finding natural food in the pond, or I am doing something wrong? When you say released were they being kept in a pen before? If so what were you feeding them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) On 08/08/2022 at 16:00, jall25 said: Try meal worms We feed these to the young wild ones The soften and float Have you seen ducks feed? The way they shovel it down it would cost an arm and leg to feed them mealworms. Edited August 9, 2022 by old'un Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 3 hours ago, old'un said: When you say released were they being kept in a pen before? If so what were you feeding them? They been bought from someone rearing game birds, I fed them barley on his advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 But what was he feeding them prior to you getting the birds, have the birds been weaned of pellets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 I don't think you can just put ducklings straight on barley? I think they'd have to be on pellet fed from a manola first, then weaned off onto grain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Surely you should be feeding the same as the hatchery then weaning them slowly over to barley ?> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jall25 Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 7 hours ago, old'un said: Have you seen ducks feed? The way they shovel it down it would cost an arm and leg to feed them mealworms. We did feed them meal worms - and we had about 100/150 wild ducklings - it doesnt cost that much at all really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 10, 2022 Report Share Posted August 10, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, jall25 said: We did feed them meal worms - and we had about 100/150 wild ducklings - it doesnt cost that much at all really Blimey, how many kilo were they getting through a day? Cheapest I have seen mealworms is £10 per kilo. By the way, they are not wild ducklings if you are rearing them in a pen. If you want to pull wild ducks to your pond chuck some old spuds in the sallows or better still some bananas (in the skin) Edited August 10, 2022 by old'un Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jall25 Posted August 10, 2022 Report Share Posted August 10, 2022 6 hours ago, old'un said: Blimey, how many kilo were they getting through a day? Cheapest I have seen mealworms is £10 per kilo. By the way, they are not wild ducklings if you are rearing them in a pen. If you want to pull wild ducks to your pond chuck some old spuds in the sallows or better still some bananas (in the skin) They are not in a pen - they are on my 2 acre pond - im lucky i have a bout 20 ponds of various sizes. These are wild ducklings that come off early - before the flies have hatched - i used about 50 kg to give them a boost early on - these and the farmland birds too. As a shoot we spend many thousands on various types of hungry gap - early breeding season feeding - and reap the rewards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Hello, how you getting on with the young ducklings ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted August 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, how you getting on with the young ducklings ? I’m currently bound to bed with a terrible sciatica episode, so I wasn’t able to check on them. I’ve got however someone on the estate to feed them every day. I’ve been told that they are going well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 3 minutes ago, shootgun said: I’m currently bound to bed with a terrible sciatica episode, so I wasn’t able to check on them. I’ve got however someone on the estate to feed them every day. I’ve been told that they are going well. Hello, oh sorry to hear that, ok at least you know there being looked after until you get better 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 7 minutes ago, shootgun said: I’m currently bound to bed with a terrible sciatica episode, so I wasn’t able to check on them. I’ve got however someone on the estate to feed them every day. I’ve been told that they are going well. My wife had a bout of sciatica last year, it knocked her off her feet for about a month and it took about another 2 months for her to feel comfortable not nice. Did you find out if they had been weaned off pellets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted August 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 4 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: Hello, oh sorry to hear that, ok at least you know there being looked after until you get better 👍 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted August 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 4 hours ago, old'un said: My wife had a bout of sciatica last year, it knocked her off her feet for about a month and it took about another 2 months for her to feel comfortable not nice. Did you find out if they had been weaned off pellets? I got it from an accident in 2019, is coming and going as it please, but this time is really bad. Been off work for 2 weeks with COVID, now sciatica… Indeed the ducklings had been weaned off pellets… Good news is, the guy I trusted to feed them called today to say they are still not eating the barley, but they are well and grown up already. I trust the pool offers a variety of natural food, I have no other explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Blimey, hope you make a full and speedy recovery. Odd that, its possible that they are a bit reluctant to leave the water to feed on the bank, the barley being dry will make very little difference to ducks, but if you have some shallows about 6 inches deep you could try putting a couple of buckets there and see if they take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 12, 2022 Report Share Posted August 12, 2022 22 hours ago, shootgun said: I’m currently bound to bed with a terrible sciatica episode, so I wasn’t able to check on them. I’ve got however someone on the estate to feed them every day. I’ve been told that they are going well. Piriformis or back (herniated disc) related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCKSHOT1 Posted October 25, 2022 Report Share Posted October 25, 2022 Hi how old is your duck , we always feed a few pellets with the grain barley or wheat on the banks then move them away from the pond after a few weeks and when they start to fly start to cut them back or they will not fly . And try to get them to fly just before they finish feeding only once a week or they will get to Lazy . Try on shoot days to push them to fly on windy days to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted October 25, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2022 They flying already, and they brought in about 10 pairs of wild mallards as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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