Feeding your Ducks
Feeding ducks
Feeding your duck a complete and balanced diet is essential to ensure they live a long and happy life. Ducks should be fed a commercially prepared age appropriate food as their main diet.
-
Up to three weeks of age
Duck starter crumbles are ideal. This is a high nutrient feed with a protein level of around 18-20%. Avoid chicken feed at this age – it is deficient in some of the nutrients that growing ducks need.
-
3 – 20 weeks of age
Ducklings can now be fed a good quality grower food suitable for ducks or for pullets (young chickens). Protein level for this food should be around 15%.
-
20 weeks and older
The ducks can now be fed a good quality layer or breeder food suitable for adult ducks or chickens. Pellets or mixed grain are best. They also need daily access to shell grit as a source of calcium to ensure strong shelled eggs.
Vegetable and fruits
Ducks enjoy vegetables and fruits to supplement their pellet or grain diet.
Below is a list of the vegetables and fruits safe for ducks to eat:
- cucumber
- zucchini
- kale
- broccoli
- carrot
- cabbage
- corn
- peas
- berries
- banana
- seed and pit fruits (without the seed)
- watermelon
- pears.
Foods NOT to feed ducks include:
- citrus fruits
- mangoes
- avocado
- spinach
- bread (too much is detrimental for duck’s health)
- ice berg lettuce
- rhubarb
- eggplant
- green tomatoes.
Ducks also need plenty of clean water provided to wash their food down with. Ensure the food and water bowls are close to each other.