Have you ever come across a video of a duck waddling around on social media that made you want to get one as a pet? Well, you’re not alone, and that’s because ducks are adorable, but you’re unsure about what do ducks eat? Keep reading to find out what you can feed ducks in the wild and your pet duck.
Do Ducks have Teeth? What Can Ducks Eat?
But before going on to what do ducks eat, here are a few things you probably didn’t know about ducks:
- Ducks can be found all across the world, except in Antarctica, where the cold environment freezes the water bodies, starving the ducks.
- The amount of time daylight they receive determines the number of eggs they produce.
- Their quack does indeed echo.
- The ducks eat rocks sometimes as their rough texture helps break down food.
What Do Ducks Eat?
To begin with the basics, there are broadly two types of wild ducks, divers, and dabblers.
Having a well-balanced diet that keeps them healthy. Ducks are omnivores. Worms, insects, tadpoles, grass, weeds, grains, and other seeds provided food for them. A diet that is well-balanced.
The domesticated ducks are very like the wild ducks. Since ducks are omnivores, they eat almost all food items. They are very self-sufficient and find their food like wild birds.
Divers
The wild ducks, like Mergansers, dive below the water in search of food like tiny plants.
Dabblers
Whereas dabblers sit on the pond or reed margins. These wild birds eat plant roots and food like berries or grains on the ground.
So, What Do Ducks Eat When Young?
Young ducklings tend to mature and need food that has high protein and calories. For the first three weeks, the diet needs 18 to 20 percent protein.
Keep in mind that the pellets are small for ducklings to eat. Through the 13th week, you can switch to a maintenance diet that includes 14 percent protein.
What To Feed Wild Ducks?
Things wild ducks eat are food that is a part of their nutritious natural diet, and these include:
1. Aquatic Plants
2. Slugs, small crustaceans, and tadpoles
3. Berries
4. Fish eggs and small fish
5. Worms
6. Seeds
7. Earthworms
8. Grass and leafy greens
The exciting thing about these feathered friends is. Whether these birds live in a local pond or local park, is that ducks have bristles instead of teeth. Thus what they eat is essential.
Their natural diet keeps changing according to the seasons. They forage for food all day and night.
We can feed them nutritious duck food like fresh peas. Some small pieces of cooked leftover food, corn, or seeds but avoid feeding them stale bread and rice.
During the winter, they tend to migrate to warmer areas. Areas where the water is not frozen and search for food to survive the winters.
The dabbling ducks stay put in winter. They are well equipped to survive the winter cold as they have enough feathers and body fat.
What Do Domesticated Ducks Eat?
It is necessary to understand that duck species love to search for food and tend to eat frequently.
Like wild ducks, domestic or pet ducks will forage for food. It is important to feed these domestic ducks enough food like:
- Insects: anything from an insect to a bug, they’ll eat it.
- Worms: During the rains, ducks will be the happiest. The reason is that they like feeding on worms like other birds the same way. And worms are easily found on the surface during the rainy season.
- Weeds and grasses: ducks love their greens too.
- Berries: wild blackberries are their absolute favorite.
- Fishes/eggs: In a pond, these ducks will eat the fish as well as their eggs.
In the context of grains, you can try feeding them:
1. Layer Pellets and duck feed pellets is a considerable option to feed domestic ducks.
It contains 16 percent protein and is the same one used to feed chickens too. Try to avoid crumbles as they have a higher risk of choking.
2. Sunflower seeds can be used as treats for feeding the ducks.
3. frozen peas, cracked corn, and frozen corn
4. Whole grains like wheat, rolled oats, and barley. Wheat is a great option, although it has little nutritional value
5. Fresh leafy vegetables like Lettuce in small pieces are nutritious. They are great for duck food.
Try using the lightweight leaves and breaking them into small bite-sized pieces. Besides this, if your ducks do not have any access to dirt, you will need to provide them with poultry grit.
Occasional Treat for Cheat Days
2. Eggs baked in the oven and cooked hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein.
3. Store-bought feeds like chicken feed or worms.
4. Frozen Peas or sweetcorn, but make sure to defrost them thoroughly.
How to Feed the Ducks?
What To Avoid Feeding Ducks?
To keep your duck healthy and safe, the keeper must know what they should not be feeding ducks and what to feed them. It is an essential part to focus on when knowing about what do ducks eat. Here is the list of edibles you should not feed ducks.
Check this post and provide it accordingly.
One thing to remember is to keep a note of what not to feed, more than “what do ducks eat.” I hope this article on what ducks eat was informational enough for you.
