According to Dave Holderread in Raising Ducks, in the October/November, 2007 issue of COUNTRYSIDE'S sister publication, Backyard Poultry magazine, chicken feed can be used for ducks, but do not use medicated chicken feed as it may cause sickness, and even death, in ducks. He says, "To keep ducks laying the year around, they must be supplied an adequate amount of laying feed that provides a minimum of 15 to 16 percent crude protein. Most chicken laying rations prove satisfactory, although those that are medicated have been suspected of causing illness—even death—in ducks, especially when birds are raised in confinement and cannot dilute the potency of the medications through foraging. To reduce waste and prevent ducks from choking, pellets are preferred, but coarse crumbles normally work out okay. Fine, powdery feeds should be avoided.

"Feed can be left in front of the birds at all times in a trough or hopper feeder, or it can be given twice daily in quantities that the ducks will clean up in 10 to 15 minutes. The first method insures that the ducks are never deprived of feed, while the second system helps prevent feed loss to rodents and encourages the fowl to forage during the day. However, laying birds cannot be expected to continue laying consistently, particularly during cold weather, if their intake of concentrated feeds is inadequate.

"To produce mild-flavored eggs, feed containing marine products should not be utilized. Dr. George Arscott, head of the Oregon Stat University Poultry Science Department, also urges that cottonseed meal not be used in breeding or laying rations since this protein supplement contains a toxin that can reduce hatchability and produce strange coloration in eggs, especially if the eggs are stored several weeks before being eaten. You might also want to keep in mind that feed stuffs such as corn and dehydrated or fresh greens cause bright-colored yolks, while wheat, oats and barley result in pale yolks.

"While producing, ducks are very sensitive to sudden changes in their diets. To avoid throwing your birds into a premature molt and drastically reducing egg production, it's wise to never change feeds while ducks are laying. If the brand or type of feed you've been using must be altered, do so gradually, preferably over a span of at least a week or 10 days."