Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder

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Colernehens

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Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder
« on: January 28, 2013, 13:54 »
Hi, we have 8 ducks, ranging in size from a call duck to a cherry valley. They are currently fed from an open galvanised dish, but we have been aware for some time that as well as our friendly black bird, someone else seemed to be eating the pellets.
We have been putting the dish inside an old wooden coop at night and shutting it up, however 3 nights ago the door was found pushed in in the morning and the food taken. As there was plenty of snow on the ground it was easy to see what the thief was- a rat.

Clearly we want to stop this quickly, so apart from obvious steps we can take, I wondered if putting the food in a treadle feeder would help, but I have no idea if that style of feeder is any good for ducks? Would it possible to set it to open for the call duck who is so much smaller that the others? Would they be happy feeding from that type of feeder?

Any advice gratefully recieved  :D

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RichardA

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Re: Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2013, 15:15 »
I do not know a lot about this but as ducks are less likely to "peck" they will not be over happy about picking grain and pellets up one by one from ground even if they learn how to operate the feeder - they like to scoop things up. My ducks are fed at night - they have a trough on one wall of their hut, they come in for the mix of layer pellets and grain and I close the door. It also makes sure I know if they are eating up fully or need more or less at a time. They need water inside though as they drink as they eat.
Outside they get the usual green stuff , over ripe marrows and bits of bread occasionally but much prefer to "hunt" among the grass in their enclosure.They will not even look at food from us first thing when released they stalk out and turn over leaves and loose turf before they will look at cabbage leaves etc.
We had had an odd mouse in the hut and I don't doubt we have a rat or two coming through the garden but with traps and bait boxes I am sure we are keeping them to very low levels and we trap/bait well away from the ducks such as under their hut which is up off the ground about 12 inches. Ducks will eat a mouse if they get one and certainly eat frogs and any slugs I throw them. Any grain outside would be stolen by pigeons in our case.
 Hope it helps
R

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Springlands

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Re: Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2013, 15:42 »
Our hens and ducks share a very large enclosed run - they each have different enclosed sleeping areas. At first we fed the ducks from open containers but then of their own accord the ducks started to use the hens treadle feeder and would not touch the food in the container.

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upert

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Re: Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2013, 19:30 »
My ducks would destroy it first, then get water and mud in there.

I'm always trying to find better ways to feed my ducks yet I can't see anything more successful visiting them and putting something in front of them (to destroy and turn into mud). They appear to be thriving though.

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joyfull

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Re: Can Ducks use a Treadle Feeder
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2013, 11:21 »
one good way to feed ducks is to put their feed into a bowl of water - so that they can dabble their beaks in it at the same time. Most chickens would avoid doing this so each type of bird would get the correct feed.
Staffies are softer than you think.



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