Feeding on extra cold days... 'I'm starving' (lol)

[Nao57]

So I thought I'd see what you think on this, to see what I could do better.

Basically at any given moment ducks will act like 'I'm starving! I haven't eaten in days! Please...(gasp)....' (Translation; I ate 3 hours ago, more than full meal.)

Well anyway, it seems like they'll always try to start barking to try to get me to feed them an hour earlier than normal, with the ducks. I'm guessing most peoples ducks will try to do that in winter too. They don't quite do it as much in non-winter months, though they beg for treats. (Nothing new here.)

But it seems like there's some days when its SUPER cold where they'll try to get me to feed them early by 3 hours or so. I wondered if this is because the whole 'I'm starving' bit might actually be a real cry for extra food for energy on these particular days? What do you think? I gave them a treat today and its one such day today here in Utah. (It was mostly to shut them up to buy time for another 3 1/2 hours till their real dinner time.

Is that would you would have done? Or would you have done something else? (In particular interested in what you'd do on extra cold days.)

Some of these really cold days the rabbits water gets knocked over or frozen more than normal it seems.

This is also a good chance for me to learn from some of the veteran farmers.

Happy and peaceful Sabbath to all.

 

[messybun]

You can try giving some corn out in the day. If it’s anything like here then corn is pretty cheap and it will help bulk up you ducks and give them a little extra energy to burn.

 

[animalmom]

My ducks and geese eat more, a lot more, when it gets in the 30's and lower.

 

[Nao57]

My ducks and geese eat more, a lot more, when it gets in the 30's and lower.

Any idea on a sort of a percentage range guesstimate for that?

Thank you.

 

[animalmom]

Percentage wise, well let's see. This morning it was 29 F outside and both duck feeders were empty. The day before one was empty and the other half empty. The feeder most often emptied is about 14 cups, the other feeder is closer to 16 cups. Shame on you for making me do math...

On a normal not cold day I'd top off the feeders with a collective 10 cups. Today it took 16 cups, give or take, so that would be a 50+% increase. Yes? Helpful?? I'm feeding 30 Muscovys. The feathered darlings also get around 12 cups of scratch broken into 2 feeedings. I like my ducks happy. No ducklings at this time.

Did that answer your question?? If not rephrase and I'll try again.

Would you put your general location in your profile? You must live somewhere rather rural and rather cold. We don't want your address, just an idea as to where you are as it does affect how questions are answered. Honestly we are not being nosy just to be nosy, although we can be that too, but in a loving manner.