What can ducklings eat other than their main feed?

[duckclo99]

My ducks eat bugs, grapefruit in small peices, bread crumbs. OH! And today, one ate a big caterpillar! It was freaky...

Is that okay? What all can they eat?

 

[FenDruadin]

Bread crumbs are not so good for them except in extreme moderation, but the rest of that sounds great. They love bugs, and bugs are EXCELLENT food for them. You can also chop up greens, such as clover or grass or lettuce, and they'll eat that in their water. Little feeder fish are a good treat, or chopped up green peas. Anything vegetable is healthy for them. And anything they eat outside is pretty much okay--just don't let them forage where there is a lot of manmade debris such as plastic or small bits of metal (they'll try to eat tacks or nails, and it can kill them).

Have fun!

 

[duckclo99]

Wow. I thought they could eat bread crumbs. Thank you for telling me before I made them sick. I need to find more bugs. Can they eat meal worms? Is it safe for them to eat fried bugs that got zapped by the bug zapper? Thanks!

 

[arabianequine]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=242460

I just looked at this thread it has a ton of wonderful feed info for ducks.

Good luck!

 

[FenDruadin]

Meal worms are great for them--they LOVE live food. I don't know about zapped bugs--don't know if they would even want them, but I don't see how it could hurt to try. Someone else might have a different idea on that though.

Bread crumbs won't kill them--it's just sort of junk food for them, like humans eating marshmallows or cake--probably doesn't hurt occasionally, but not something you want as a regular part of the diet.

Have fun!

 

[duckclo99]

My ducks have tried them and they went nuts! They absolutely love it. I wouldn't say that they are actually "fried" they just died from touching the bug zapper. I'll get some meal worms. Thanks!

my duckies are lots better off now that I use BYC! I give loads of thanks to everyone who's helped me so far!

They might be dead without you!

 

[theduckgirl4110]

Never give them spinach or avacados though.That could kill them.Have fun!!!!!

 

[AprilFurey]

Hello
So I bought alive mealworms and small alive crickets yesterday from the store and a container of grit ! I have 2 , 2 week of ducklings that live inside my house how do I feed it to them !! ?? Please help

 

[Amiga]

The grit needs to go into their food. Just a tiny tiny bit each day. For two ducklings, I would think just a teaspoon on top of a six inch wide dish of food. Can you keep the mealworms and crickets alive for a few days? I would feel better if the ducklings had at least two or three days of a little bit of grit before feeding them non-pelleted food.

 

[AprilFurey]

Is it that it needs to build up in their system ??? Ok I get it ... So right now they're eating from a circular thing with lots of holes in it and the container in on top and when they eat it lets more out ( sorry such a poor description ) so should I mix in in that or switch their food into just a plain bowl and sprinkle it ?