You made the plunge and bought the cute, fuzzy baby ducklings. Now you are asking yourself, "What can I feed my ducks?" Let's explore that question.
Ducks Eat Commercial Feed
Start with purchasing a good protein, enriched vitamin, non-medicated crumble or pellet commercial feed. We have a large farm, so we buy meat maker/show feed in 40 bag pallets from ADM, Inc. But you can find a complete commercial feed (Flock Raiser- a variety of poultry can eat the same feed after eight weeks old) at any farm supply store. I recommend crumbles for ducklings then switching to pellets; not as much waste with pellets. Provide plenty of water as this helps ducks swallow and eat. Ducks eat an enormous amount, so letting them forage too will save that hole in your pocket!
What Ducks Eat While Foraging
Ducks have an instinct to scour for food when free-ranging in your yard.
Ducks are omnivores, eating plants, bugs, and meat.
*Fish-great for a ducks' diet; full of vitamins and minerals
*Berries-wild blueberries
*Plants-grass, seeds, weeds
*Bugs-whatever bug or insect is in your yard
*Worms-move their pool, a brick/rock, and they will dig
What Ducks Eat From the Garden
I grow a large garden on our farm every year. Strangely the ducks have never freely eaten any of my vegetables. Although when they are roaming in the grass, I have one spot that I put their treats; they know where to look! Veggies that I feed them:
*Melons-watermelon and cantelope (I cut them in half and lay them open)
*Zucchini and Squash-green, yellow, butternut (I peel and dice them)
*Carrots-cooked or diced raw
*Cucumber-raw peeled and diced
*Corn-they love to peck at the cobs
*Turnips-diced and cooked
*Cauliflower/Broccoli-small cooked or raw pieces.
*Cabbage or Kale-sliced thinly
*Eggplant-diced and cooked
*Beets-diced raw or cooked
*Peas-defrosted or fresh
*Tomato-no skin; only flesh
*Asparagus-unseasoned, cooked and diced
*Fruits-limit amounts due to the sugar content;
only fresh
Pears (fresh soft diced), Peaches (diced fresh), Grapes (seedless),
Cherries (seedless), Apples (fresh soft diced), Strawberries (fresh diced)
Pineapple (fresh flesh diced)
Other Goodies Ducks Eat
*Mealworms-works great when training your ducks (trained 'em to go back
in their house at night; didn't need to run around waving my arms anymore)
*Grain- cracked corn, oats, wheat, barley, sunflower seeds, and birdseed
*Cereal-non-sugary; limited amounts (I use Cheerios)
*Eggs-scrambled or hard-boiled (feed the crushed shells too for calcium)
*Oatmeal-unflavored, cooked (cooled, not hot)
*White Meat-cooked, boneless, skinless, diced chicken or turkey
*Homemade Treats- Frozen Treats (made with veggies, fruits, seeds, chicken
feed); Pecking Block for chickens; Peanut Butter Treats (good protein when
molting)
What To NOT Feed A Duck (this list is crucial)
*Bread and Crackers-no nutritional value; too many carbs
*Raw Potatoes-has toxins
*Onions- can cause diarrhea, vomiting, or death
*Avocados- can cause heart failure or death
*Mushrooms- causes digestive issues
*Soda/Carbonated Drinks-causes gases to build up because ducks do not
burp or have gas; could result in death
*Nuts or Popcorn-choking hazard
*Chocolate-death if ingested too much
*Junk Food-causes them to be obese and unhealthy
*Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)-can cause scours; their digestive system cannot
process the sugars in the milk
Ducks have a large assortment of nutritional food they can eat for a healthy diet. Research and understand what you are feeding your duck to give them a long, healthy life.
A Healthy Duck is a Happy Duck!
