A Khaki Campbell duck eats about four to five ounces of feed a day, around a quarter to a third of a pound, with drakes taking a little less once mature. For a bird weighing only about four pounds, that is a hearty ration, and it reflects what the Campbell was bred to do: she is among the most productive laying ducks in existence, turning feed into eggs at a rate closer to a good laying hen than to a typical duck. A non-laying Campbell in mild weather settles toward the bottom of the range, while a duck in full lay during spring sits firmly at the top.
Why Laying Drives the Campbell's Appetite
Producing an egg nearly every day costs protein, energy, and a great deal of calcium, and the Campbell's small body holds almost no spare reserves to draw on. Cut her ration and laying does not taper politely — she may pause altogether, lose condition quickly, or produce thin-shelled eggs. Her feed should therefore be a proper waterfowl or layer ration rather than plain grain, because ducks have a higher need for certain vitamins than chickens, and a ration balanced for ducks covers that gap in a way cracked corn scattered on the ground never will. Foraging on grass, slugs, and insects is exercise and enrichment she thrives on, but it supplements the measured ration rather than replacing it.
Feeding a Duck the Way Ducks Actually Eat
Ducks shovel feed and wash it down, so the feeder and the water always belong together: place a bucket or trough deep enough for her to submerge her whole bill and clear her nostrils right beside the feed, and refresh it daily because it will be muddy within hours. Many keepers offer the measured ration in two sittings, morning and evening, in a heavy, low pan that cannot tip, and take up leftovers at night so feed does not sour, mould, or draw rodents into the pen. Offer crushed oyster shell in a separate small dish so each laying duck can top up calcium on her own schedule, and provide grit if the flock eats whole grains or ranges widely. On grass runs, move the feeding station regularly; a fixed spot quickly becomes a mud patch where spilled feed rots.
Adjusting Across the Year
Expect intake to rise during the peak laying months and in cold weather, when outdoor ducks burn more energy staying warm, and to ease off during the annual moult, when laying pauses and protein in the ration still matters for regrowing feathers. Young Campbells grow fast on a starter and then grower ration fed generously, and they should not be put on layer feed until they are actually approaching lay, since the calcium level suits laying birds only. Brooding ducks eat less while sitting and should have feed and water placed within easy reach of the nest.
Signs Something Is Off
A Campbell that picks at feed, leaves the flock, or produces a run of soft-shelled eggs needs her ration and water checked first, and a duck that stops eating, breathes with effort, or cannot keep up with the flock should see a veterinarian promptly. Because KinsLe's Care Teams let you assign feed, water, and shell checks as daily duties with timestamps, a Campbell flock's twice-daily routine stays covered even when different people share the chores.