What Do Baby Australian Wood Ducks Eat?
Australian wood ducks are considered one of the most beautiful water birds. But if you want to let them grow and come out looking beautiful, you must take proper care of them. Most importantly, you should know what do baby Australian wood ducks eat.
You can feed can eat algae, small fish, duckweed, aquatic insects, invertebrates, and small fish to the Australian wood ducks. And when they grow up, they start to eat seeds, nuts, and grains.
But these are all natural habitat food of Australian wood baby ducks. What if you want to get a commercial feed? Also, what other food can you feed Australian wood ducklings? Read through to learn everything about the diet of these baby birds.
Want to learn more about ducklings:
What Do Australian Wood Ducks Eat in the Wild?
These ducks primarily rely on grasses and annual herbs in the wild. Regarding yearly herbs, one excellent example is clover. And occasionally, you will find these birds having insects.
Rarely, you will find Australian wood ducks in open water. Instead, they prefer to forage by dabbing in shallow water. Moreover, they primarily roam around grasslands.
But do not be surprised to find them near water bodies as they are known to eat small fish, duckweed, and aquatic insects too.
That said, the diet of the wood baby ducks is a bit less restrictive than regular ducks. In other words, their diet is pretty much the same as the adult Australian wood ducks.
What Are the Best Commercial Food Options for Baby Australian Wood Ducks?
You can feed age-appropriate commercial feed that’s available for regular ducklings. That is, you do not need to look for any specific grower food that’s particularly for Australian wood ducks.
On that note, it’s better to start feeding duckling-specific feed from week 3. Before that, let the baby wood ducks forage their food naturally. But when the mother is absent, you must ensure they are getting easy access to natural food.
In other words, if you are raising the ducklings and the mother is not there, you should help them collect algae, aquatic insects, and small fish for them. And when they hit 3 weeks of age, start the commercial duckling feed.
What Nutrients Do Baby Australian Wood Ducks Need?
Baby Australian wood ducks need some specific nutrients in high amounts for proper growth and development. Here’s the list of those particular nutrients –
1. Protein
During the early stage, Australian wood ducklings require a protein-rich diet. And as you might have guessed, they can get the required protein from the duckling starter. You can also add veggies, fruits, and small dried insects.
2. Niacin
Baby ducklings, whether it is Australian wood ducks or regular ducks, have a high niacin requirement during the early stage. Wondering what does it do? Niacin supports the growth and development of the muscles and bones.
To be exact, the niacin requirement of baby ducks is higher than baby chicks. You should ensure they get it in good amounts three times a day. And thankfully, a proper waterfowl stater or duckling starter will provide them with all the niacin they need.
3. Minerals and Vitamins
For overall health and well-being, baby ducks require vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and E and phosphorus in the right amounts. And the good part is that a good duckling starter usually has all the needed minerals and vitamins.
In addition, you can offer vegetables, fruits, and other nutrient-rich food to supplement the Australian wood ducklings.
How Do I Know If My Baby Australian Wood Duck Is Receiving Enough Nutrition?
So, what happens if baby Australian wood ducks don’t get enough nutrition? Well, you will start to see some abnormalities. For example –
Unhealthy Growth
When the baby Australian wood ducks are not getting enough nutrition, the ducklings will not see healthy growth. Remember that it takes around 30 days for ducklings to fully grow. And when they are fully grown, they will weigh 3 to 5 pounds.
Inactive Behavior
If the baby Australian wood ducks are not receiving the right level of nutrients, they will remain inactive throughout the day. Just like regular ducklings, a healthy Australian baby duck will tend to be very active in the daytime.
Dull Eyes
The eyes of the ducklings say a lot about whether they are getting the right level of nutrients or not. If their eyes appear dull, it’s a sign that they are malnourished. A healthy duckling should have bright eyes.
Abnormal Appetite
Ducklings should have a good appetite, and they should be eating regularly. But a malnourished duck will not have the energy to self-feed. They might not even want to eat when you try to help.
What Should I Do If My Baby Australian Wood Duck Isn’t Eating?
There are a couple of things that you can do when you see that the Australian wood ducklings are not eating. They are –
1. Add a little water to their feed
Before anything else, you should add a little bit of water to the starter feed. Ducklings will find the watered-down food easier to eat. Afterward, slowly transition them to dry feed.
2. Offer a varied diet
Some baby Australian wood ducks require a varied diet. You may need to stimulate their appetite by offering varied food, which includes live food and small veggies. You also try adding crickets and mealworms into their diet.
3. Consult with a veterinarian
Is the baby duck still not eating? It would be best to consult with a veterinarian. Even an experienced duck owner will be able to give you some guidelines on what you can do when the Australian wood ducklings are not eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can baby Australian wood ducks eat fruits and vegetables?
Australian wood ducklings can eat fruits and vegetables. In fact, even when you are relying on commercial feed, you should supplement the ducklings’ diet with some vegetables and fruits.
2. Is It safe to feed baby Australian wood ducks insects?
Insects are safe for baby Australian wood ducks. To be exact, these ducklings eat small invertebrates and aquatic insects in their natural habitat. And insects are essential to their diet, offering the required protein for normal growth.
3. Can baby Australian wood ducks drink cow’s milk?
You should not let baby Australian wood ducks drink cow’s milk. To be exact, ducks should not eat or drink any dairy products. Their digestive system can not process lactose.
Final Words
Are you still asking yourself what do baby Australian wood ducks eat? In short, they eat algae, small fish, duckweed, aquatic insects, invertebrates, and small fish in their natural habitat. And when it comes to commercial feed, choose a proper duckling starter feed.
With that said, you basically know everything there’s to know about baby Australian wood duck’s diet at this point.
But there will be more informative posts about ducks in the future. So, make sure that you are connected with our Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts to stay updated.
Article References:
- https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-feed-my-pet-ducks/
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/what-do-wood-ducks-eat-detailed-list-of-preferred-food
- https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/australian-wood-duck/
- https://animals.mom.com/how-to-care-for-a-baby-wood-duck-12307810.html
