Chickens will eat anything they can get their beaks on. Eating is not only a form of enrichment to these animals, it is also a form of entertainment as well.

As a poultry owner, you’d naturally want to give your birds the best foods you can, you’d also want to give your birds a variety of foods. Thus, you may be considering giving your bird duck starter, but is this a good idea? Can chickens eat duck starter? This article explores this topic. 

Chickens can eat duck starter in that it won’t harm them, but because duck starter is specifically designed for ducks, it can’t deliver all the nutrients that your chicken needs. Duck starter contains less protein than chicken feed, if chickens are not supplemented with protein while having duck starter, then the chicken can develop malnutrition 

Can chickens eat duck starter?

Chickens thrive on a diet that includes a variety of foods, this variety of food delivers a plethora of vitamins and minerals to the bird’s body.

The recommended chicken diet includes fruits, vegetables and specialty chicken feed, which type of feed the bird can have is dependent on what type of bird it is.

Chickens can also eat duck starter with some constraints. 

A chicken’s nutritional needs vs duck starter:

Chickens and ducks have different nutritional needs. Baby chickens eat feed that is medicated, this medicated starter feed gives the bird the best chance at achieving maximum growth. Duck starter feed on the other hand is non-medicated.

The feeds may be similar but this difference is a critical one, if baby chickens have starter feed that does not contain the medication it needs to grow well, then the baby bird will likely not grow to its full potential

Protein:

Duck starter does not contain enough protein for chickens. Chickens feed is specifically designed for chickens.

Chicken feed contains high amounts of protein, protein helps chickens grow quickly, this enables humans to get high quantities of meat from the animal.

Protein is also useful in egg production, if chickens don’t get enough protein then the bird may not lay to its full potential.

Niacin:

Duck feed also contains more niacin than chicken feed. Ducks need twice the amount of niacin than chickens do and this is reflected in the formulation of the different feeds. Niacin, in both birds, is needed for healthy bone growth.

Giving chickens feed that contains excess niacin won’t cause serious complications, perhaps lethargy or GI issues, but giving ducks feed with a lack of niacin can be dangerous.

Serving suggestion:

If you do decide to feed your chicken duck starter feed, feed them this food only as a treat and not as a main food source. A chicken’s diet should consist of 90% specialized feed, 10% fruits and veggies, and the occasional treat.

This will give the bird the opportunity to eat duck starter feed while still maintaining its main diet. 

Can baby chicks eat duck starter? 

The first few months of a baby chickens life are crucial to growth and development. Because of this, it is very important that the bird gets the feed specially formulated for it (chicken starter feed).

Duck starter feed, if consistently given to chicks, can cause the bird to become malnourished. This can stunt the growth of the bird preventing it from growing to its full potential.

Do chickens eat other bird feed?

Yes, chickens can eat other types of bird feed, but just as with the duck starter feed, this feed can only be given as a treat on occasion and not in place of their regular feed.

Although birds are similar, their feeds have been designed to suit their bodies, consistently serving them feed that is not specialized chicken feed can cause deficiencies in the bird.

The feed of other birds should only be given to chickens when you want to add variety to the bird’s diet, once in a while.

Conclusion

In conclusion, chickens can eat duck starter but this food should only be given as a treat on occasion, not as a main part of the bird’s diet.

Duck starter feed is low in protein, chickens that lack protein will have issues with egg growth and meat production. Baby chickens should also not be given duck starter feed.

The feeds of other birds can be given to chickens but only on occasion.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can chickens eat onion peels?, Can chickens eat oats with hulls?, Can chickens eat parrot feed?, Can chickens eat too much oyster shell?,