Ducks enjoy eating a wide range of nutritious treats. While bread should only be given in moderation, grains and greens provide much healthier nutrition options. Old fashioned oats, cooked whole wheat pasta with veggies (such as pasta made of spinach), brown rice or sprouted grains make great treats!
Scraps and organ meats make delicious treats for ducks (as long as they’re mold-free). Fresh cut grass, weeds, herbs, leafy greens such as kale or collards also provide plenty of enjoyment!
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Mealworms
Ducks and chickens alike love eating mealworms and grasshoppers; these treat-rich snacks provide them with high levels of protein while making for fun entertainment! If you use mealworms as their main protein source, limit treats to 10% of their diet.
Ducklings enjoy eating vegetables like kale, lettuce and collards; just be sure to cut it up so they don’t choke! However, beans contain solanin and chaconine which is toxic to ducklings unless cooked first.
Watermelons provide another healthy snack for ducks. Just beware when adding cherries – as they contain high concentrations of cyanide. When feeding it to them, ensure you crack open the melons first!
Grubs
Ducks love protein-rich treats like mealworms – this can be found at most fishing supply stores and pet shops. Blackberry berries can also be great treats but make sure that they’re seedless as their seeds contain cyanide poisoning!
Cooked whole wheat or vegetable pasta, brown rice and old fashioned oats make delicious treats for ducks, as do sprouted grains such as mung beans, alfalfa, quinoa or wheat berry sprouts. Spinach may interfere with calcium absorption which could result in egg binding or soft shelled eggs being laid, while Iceberg lettuce provides little nutritional value and should be fed sparingly as too much can cause diarrhea in large quantities.
Algae
Ducks love eating Cyanobacteria and Porphyra algae – which contain protein, vitamins, trace minerals, pigments, lipids polysaccharides as well as omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid – not to mention high iron concentrations.
Cracked corn on the cob and romaine lettuce can also make tasty treats, and spinach should be avoided since it interferes with calcium absorption, leading to soft-shelled eggs and soft shells in some birds. Also avoid tomatoes as part of their nightshade family because solanine present may attack red blood cells causing scours.
Crickets
Just like chickens, ducks can also enjoy a varied diet that includes fruit and vegetables, whole grains, meat/fish and more, in addition to their layer feed. A varied diet not only adds variety and interest for your flock, but it’s also essential in producing nutritious eggs with rich nutrition content.
As an alternative to throwing away carrot peels or cucumber ends, simply cut them up and feed them to ducks instead of throwing them away. Just remember to only feed small quantities at one time since some foods may be toxic or even fatal for ducks if consumed excessively.
Corn
Ducks in the wild tend to seek food sources from all sources, even those not recommended, such as corn chips that contain high levels of salt and fat. A better option would be providing cracked corn as it’s easily digestible by ducks.
Manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium can all help support eye health in birds. Furthermore, this snack provides antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein which contribute to overall wellness in birds. You can provide this treat as large pieces that they can enjoy nibbling away at gradually or cut it up into cubes for easier consumption.
Greens
Chickens enjoy eating various greens that provide them with nutrients like folate, vitamin C, B6, biotin, potassium and antioxidants. Chickens particularly love dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, turnip greens and chard.
Ducks enjoy snacking on all sorts of treats and snacks! Just be sure that all treats and snacks are cut up into small pieces for safety, such as fruit (though beware of apples as they contain cyanide) and leafy greens which could cause choking risks.
Avoid feeding your flock foods from the nightshade family such as potatoes, rhubarb and unripened tomatoes which contain solanin and chaconine that can lead to drowsiness, paralysis and death. Furthermore, spinach interferes with calcium absorption so should only be given in moderation while iceberg lettuce has minimal nutritional value and may become toxic when consumed in large amounts.
