Good Stuff!

Here are some products that I use that I’ve had good luck with and consider good stuff!

Ducks

Mazuri Waterfowl Layer/Breeder floating feed. This is the main feed I use. It is one of the more expensive feeds however it is very good quality, and they don’t waste any of it. It contains the highest amount of niacin (70 mg/lb) that I have found in any waterfowl feed. Waterfowl needs more niacin than poultry and it’s important for them to be fed a waterfowl specific feed. For more information, please visit this awesome article by Ducks of Providence. The Mazuri feed can be thrown in their water or put in a bowl. It doesn’t disintegrate when wet and will float. It definitely is their favorite feed; they are not happy when I switch to other pellets. I consider it money well spent with how happy and healthy my ducks are, and I highly recommend it. Recently Tractor Supply has started carrying it, but I order my feed through Chewy.

Mazuri Waterfowl Starter Floating Duckling Food. This is what I use for my ducklings. A lot of what I said about their layer/breeder feed applies to their starter duckling feed as well. It has the highest amount of niacin among all of the feeds that I’ve looked at. It’s a floating feed which I love because I put it in the duckling’s water and they naturally want to play in the water and with the food and they quickly learn how to eat and drink. The pellets are small enough that they eat it easily especially when it’s put in their water. Again, it is one of the more expensive options, but I consider it money well spent. Recently Tractor Supply has started carrying it, but I order my feed through Chewy.

Kalmbach Feeds Duck Feed. This is a more affordable feed option at about half the price of Mazuri feeds. My ducks are not a huge fan of it and prefer Mazuri feed. They will eat it, but they will also waste some. It appears to be good quality. The niacin level is 45 mg/lb so you may need to supplement niacin if you notice a deficiency. Overall, I am a fan of Kalmbach Feeds and use them regularly for my chickens and quail.

Niacin Supplementation. If you suspect one or more of your ducks is deficient in Niacin, there are many ways you can supplement. I prefer to use nutritional yeast, but you can also use brewer’s yeast or there are niacin supplements for waterfowl. I find that the ducks willingly eat the nutritional yeast as it tastes better than brewer’s yeast. Nutritional yeast contains 40 mg/Tablespoon of niacin vs brewer’s yeast which contains 5mg/Tablespoon of niacin. I just buy nutritional yeast flakes from wherever is easiest (grocery store, Amazon, etc.) and add it to the top of their food. I rarely need to do this, but if you see signs of niacin deficiency it doesn’t hurt to boost their niacin and see if it helps. You are unlikely to overdose them on niacin; they have a very high tolerance for it. I wouldn’t supplement it if you don’t have a reason to.