Feeding ducks whilst on holiday??

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mikew4895

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Hi
I rescued 25 ducks recently. They are doing well. Ones got bumblefoot which is currently in the house with antibiotics in a cage getting better.
My question is....does anyone have any suggestions on what I can buy/build to feed the ducks whilst I'm on holiday. I'm not going away until early next year so will have time to sort something out. Everything I have seen has been suitable for a small amount of ducks. I will have someone looking after the house but cannot expect her to go out everyday to feed them so I was looking for something that can be filled up and checked every couple/3days
Thanks
 
Hi Mike and welcome to the Forum.
That's a serious number of ducks you've got there. Are they totally reliant on your feeding them, or is their pond or enclosure somewhere where there's some natural food as well?
And of course, how long are you planning to go away for?
 
They came from the duck farmer in Essex that went bankrupt so are kind of reliant on being fed. Although they are on a lake with plenty of land to forage on. They do however seem to rely on me to feed them like I have been
I am planning on going away for 2 weeks
 
Sorry, Mike, I'm not a 'duck person,' and don't even keep enough chickens to need a very large feeder, but on here we do have a very experienced person who knows all about waterfowl, Dorsetduckowner. She hasn't posted for a few days so maybe she's away at present. You could try a p.m. to her?
 
Hiya :) Sorry I hadn't seen this post...
One thing to remember is legally you have to check on/feed your animals every day so you will need to find a 'duck sitter'.
If you leave food out for them, it's unlikely they will regulate their intake and also likely that rats or other animals will get to it and eat it.
Wondering if you are on any of the FB groups, there're quite a few Essex duck owners on there who may be willing to look in on your ducks every day.
But as I said, on a purely legal basis you are obliged to provide daily care for them as they are classed as domestic animals who cannot survive in the wild on their own....
 
Hi dorsetduckowner.

I will have someone here checking on them while I'm away but its just feeding them that I wanted to make easier for the person. So instead of feeding them everyday they can check the feeder to make sure theres enough feed in there and top up when its getting low. I was looking at getting a treadle feeder as to protect the feed from rats etc. Something like this but bigger if they are available?
http://www.ukpoultrysupplies.co.uk/eton-20kg-galvanised-treadle-feeder
Are the ducks likely to 'overfeed' themselves during the day?

I will check out the facebook groups for anyone local

thanks
 
check out
https://www.facebook.com/groups/283025678535533/?fref=ts
and
https://www.facebook.com/groups/287407288106898/

lots of Essex duck owners there.
 
The treadle feeders are ok, ducks take a while to get used to them though, so get them started on them as soon as you can.
 
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