FEEDING YOUR DOMESTIC DUCK

[hatchcrazzzy]

FEEDING YOUR DOMESTIC DUCK

Staple Foods
• Pellets, crumbles or mash
Supplements can be feed in about a week finely cut up with grit
• Hard-boiled eggs (chopped with shell on)
• Vegetable greens, shredded carrots, tomatoes
• Worms
• Snails and slugs
• Cottage cheese
Treats
• Anything on this list you don't feed
No No's
• "Junk food" like bread is very bad
• Seeds or nuts
• Fatty, salty or sweet foods
• Chocolate

 

[okiechick57]

Thanks and how did you know, just today I was wondering what they would like as snacks........ going to feed them some cottage cheese right now !

 

[okiechick57]

OH and , at what age can all these be started, I have some ducklings about 4 weeks old............can they have this?

 

[mlheran]

Great list!

One thing I've noticed about my ducks is that they tend to be picky about some things, and often it takes repeated offerings before they decide if they like something (or not). Tomatoes still never go over well, but beet greens and any kind of lettuce are absolutely devoured -especially when served poolside (i.e. in or near their pool). They have also always liked the leaves from my red plum trees as well, I guess because they are small and papery when they fall (other tree leaves are sampled but ignored).

okiechick57 -I started offering lettuce and other greens when they were just a few days old -finely shredded and with grit on the side, of course. I think all of the things on the list will be fine in moderation for ducks of any age, with maybe the exception of including the eggshells in the hard-boiled eggs -I've read that too much calcium when they are developing can lead to kidney problems (please correct me if I'm wrong!). You definitely want a quality feed base and then lots of opportunities for greens and bug/slug patrol -both you and the ducks will benefit!

 

[okiechick57]

Well. I must have picky ducks,,no cottage cheese or carrot shavings for them ....they poked and walked away...... Then I read your post mlheran...I will offer it off and on all week, my batam hens devoured the cottage cheese and my dogs are eating the carrots? haha.......