Feed duckling with wet started mash for 8 weeks. Native ducklings raised the native way are feed moistened boiled rice for the first 33 weeks, 4 to 5 times a day. During the first few days, give feed at night. Start giving water in drinking troughs or fountains on the 2nd day. On the fifth day, add finely chopped small shrimps to boiled rice. Increase their feed as ducklings grow grown-up.
At the age of one month, feed ducklings with tiny fresh water snails and boiled unhulled rice. Give only enough feed to be consumed as they tend to spoil when left long in the troughs.
Mash feed for ducklings is composed of corn, soybean meal, fish meal, dried whey, rice bran with oyster shell and bone meal with vitamin-mineral supplements. Feed one day to 6-week ancient ducklings with starter mash with 10-21% crude protein; for 6-week ancient to 4-month ancient duckling with grower mash with 16% crude protein; and 4-month ancient ducks and above with layer mash or ratio wit 16% crude protein.
If mash feed is preferred, give only enough to be consumed promptly at one time for 10 to 15 minutes. Wet mash tends to spoil when left long in hoppers. If feed is given at intervals, ducklings learn to eat more readily and their appetites are developed to stuff themselves in between drinks, digest food promptly and be ready to eat their fill for the next feeding time.
Four to five feedings a day are sufficient for ducklings over 2 weeks ancient. Provide plenty of clean, fresh water as ducks drink after every mouthful of food.
Ducks are wasteful and slovenly while feeding. Provide proper adequate feeding hoppers to prevent much waste of food.
Fine gravel or grit is necessary to growing ducks to help them grind their feed. As a feed-reduction contrivance, the pellet system of feeding has been introduced in duck nutrition. Pellets of each kind of feed are recommended for duck feeding but the size of particles must be suitable to duck’s age. Learn more tips about feeding ducklings and raising baby ducks at http://www.howtoraiseducks.com