What Can Baby Ducks Eat Besides Duck Food?
If you plan to raise ducks, one of the first things you need to know is what to feed them. Yes, the obvious answer would be baby duck feed. But what if you do not have some at one point? What can baby ducks eat besides duck food?
Ducklings can eat a lot of things besides duck food. For example, you can feed bugs, invertebrates, worms, algae, small fish, cracked corn, oats, barley, mixed greens, and many other types of food to the baby ducks.
But do not just feed anything and everything. Some of the foods are not suitable for ducklings. In fact, some specific items are even risky for their health. And you can learn about them and even more in this discussion.
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Are There Any Special Dietary Requirements for Baby Ducks?
For proper growth and development, ducklings need a special diet. In particular, you will need to get them to adhere to a diet that is high in protein and niacin. This diet should be strictly followed until they are six weeks old.
On the note of protein, can baby ducks eat meat? Well, you can definitely add small dried insects into the diet of the ducklings. But if you are sticking with proper baby duck feed, there will be no need to add additional protein sources to their food.
What Kind of Food Should I Provide for My Baby Ducks?
The best type of food that you can feed ducklings is waterfowl starter feed. Baby ducks should start their journey with waterfowl starter crumbles. At the core, that is a specially formulated feed that enhances their growth.
Moreover, the feed is formulated to support the ducklings’ development and offer all the necessary nutrients. If you can not find waterfowl starter crumbles, you can use chick starter feed as a substitute.
But it is important to note that baby ducks have two to three times more niacin requirements than baby chicks. So, if you can’t find waterfowl crumbles, add peas to their diet. Peas are rich in niacin and are small enough for ducklings.
What Other Foods Can Baby Ducks Eat?
If you can not find waterfowl starter crumbles or chick starter feed, you can opt for other food sources for the time being. Here’s a list –
- Oats
- Cracked corn
- Rice
- Birdseed
- Frozen peas
- Sliced grapes
- Mealworms
- Fresh fruit
- Barley
- Fresh lettuce and mixed greens
- Dandelion greens
- Small insects
- Kale
- Chopped grass and weeds
You can make your own duckling feed by combining the abovementioned food items. But make sure that each meal is packed with protein and niacin. They will not see proper growth if they do not get these two.
What Foods Are Dangerous for Baby Ducks to Eat?
As mentioned earlier, you can not just feed anything and everything to ducks. And for ducklings, you need to be very careful in what you offer and what you don’t.
That said, the foods considered unsafe for ducklings include –
- Bread
- Junk food
- Rhubarb leaves
- Dairy products
- Nightshade vegetables
Junk Food and Bread
Bread and crackers do not offer any nutritional value to the ducklings. They just fill the tummies of ducklings. So, eventually, bread and junk food can lead to malnutrition and deformities.
Nightshade Vegetables and Rhubarb Leaves
Rhubarb leaves are known to have oxalic acid. It is toxic to the ducklings. When it comes to nightshade veggies, some examples are eggplant, tomatoes, and potatoes.
Although nightshade veggies are rich in nutrients, they contain alkaloid solanine. And in high amounts, solanine is toxic, both for humans and ducks.
Dairy Products
There’s one specific reason why ducks should not have dairy products. Their digestive system is not capable of digesting lactose! So, whatever you do, avoid serving dairy products to both ducks and ducklings.
How Much Food Should Baby Ducks Eat?
Baby ducks tend to eat a lot and should be fed consistently. Generally, a duckling can eat around ¼ pound or 113.4 grams of food daily. And as mentioned earlier, it’s best to start with waterfowl crumble.
It’s important to note that ducklings are self-feeding. That means you will not need the feed them by yourself. But you need to make sure that they have a constant supply of food.
How Can I Tell if My Baby Duck Is Getting Enough Nutrition?
There are some signs that can let you know whether your baby ducks are getting enough nutrition. They are –
Healthy Growth
It’s a clear giveaway that ducklings are getting the right nutrition if they show a normal growth rate. And at a normal pace, they should be fully grown within 30 days and weigh anywhere around 0.45 kg.
Active Behavior
When the ducklings are active throughout the day, they are getting enough nutrition. But if you find the baby ducks relatively inactive, you must check the feed.
Bright Eyes and Good Appetite
If the baby ducks get the right amount of nutrition, they should eat regularly. That shows that their digestive system is healthy. Also, you can check their eyes. It should be bright in color.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What happens if baby ducks don’t get enough nutrition?
When ducklings do not get enough nutrition, they will face malnutrition, leading to early death and deformities. Moreover, their immune system will weaken, making them vulnerable to different diseases. Also, they will experience delayed growth.
2. How often should baby ducks be fed?
Baby ducks should have at least three proper meals a day. And they should have constant access to food and water. After all, ducklings are self-feeding, and these birds tend to search for food whenever they are hungry.
3. Do ducklings eat bananas?
Fruits such as bananas, grapes, watermelon, pears, and peaches are great for ducks and ducklings. But make sure that you cut the fruits into very small pieces. Otherwise, the baby ducks might choke on the fruit.
4. Is it safe to feed baby ducks insects?
It is safe to feed insects to ducklings. However, note that it’s better to feed them dried insects like black soldier fly larvae and mealworms.
Final Words
Are you still wondering- what can baby ducks eat besides duck food? Well, there are many food items that you can resort to. That includes oats, barley, grapes, and kale. But make sure not to feed dairy products, bread, and nightshade veggies.
That’s all there is to it regarding what foods ducklings can eat other than formulated feed. And if you found it helpful, please get yourself connected with our Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts. It will help us grow.
Article References:
- https://www.metzerfarms.com/blog/Foods-Ducks-Should-Not-Eat.html
- https://islandseed.com/poultry/care-and-feeding-of-ducklings/
- https://friscolibrary.com/blogs/post/the-dos-and-donts-of-feeding-ducks
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-do-ducklings-eat/
Image Credit:
- Instagram.com
