How to Feed Baby Ducks {Healthiest Practices}
How to feed baby ducks? It’s easy.
What do baby ducks eat? How do you feed them? What should never be fed to them? What treats can I give them? These are all questions I had when I bought my first batch of baby ducks. Luckily, baby ducks are easy to raise and feed. They grow into hardy, healthy, useful animals without much input from you. Here is a thorough guide on how to feed your baby ducks and on what NOT to do.
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What Do Ducklings Eat?
Ducks, like chickens, are omnivores.
They eat plants and animals alike. Their wild counterparts forage for all matter of vegetation and bugs (even snakes, mice, and frogs) but in your home and brooder, your ducklings will likely be fed a commercial feed to start.
And yes, you can keep your chickens and ducks together and feed the same food from the time they’re day-olds — I do. Read about how I do that in my article Keeping Ducks And Chickens Together {Yes You Can}.
Want to see my Muscovy ducklings swallow a mouse whole after they captured it? I couldn’t believe it either, but here is the video I was lucky to capture:
You can purchase special waterfowl feed, all-flock feed, or you can give them chick starter feed.
But it is imperative that you do NOT give them medicated chick starter.
What do I do? I actually go against the norm and feed whole grain chicken grower feed that is soy-free and 18% protein.
I also ferment my feed which you can read about how to (EASILY) do yourself in my article The MANY Benefits Of Fermenting Chicken Feed {& How To Do It}.
To make up for additional protein and niacin (B3) needs, my ducklings also get weekly scrambled eggs mixed with flax meal, kelp, and black oil sunflower seeds.
My baby ducks eat the same food that my baby chicks eat. And they eat the same food that my adult chickens and ducks eat too. This holds true whether the specific birds are layers, meat birds, dual-purpose, etc.
Everyone gets a high-quality feed with nutritious extras.
See my article on housing chickens and ducks together Keeping Ducks And Chickens Together {Yes You Can}.
My flock is also pastured and free-ranged from a young age which helps to make up for any potential nutritional deficiencies and my lawn and pasture is not a monoculture grass lawn but rather it is seeded with all sorts of specialty grasses that are good for chickens, ducks, and geese.
If you are not willing or able to pasture your ducks or are unwilling to feed extra food high in niacin and protein, you need to be careful of the feed you choose.
Commercial Feed Options
Here are some commercial feed options you can research and choose from.
Duckling Starter
All-Flock Feed
Waterfowl Feed
Chicken Grower Feed
Ducks Need Extra Niacin and Protein
It’s important to give your ducklings the correct diet so they grow properly. Unlike chickens, they require extra nutrients like niacin, a type of vitamin B.
A high-quality duckling feed can be a good option for getting them the niacin they need. The correct amount means that their bones and bills will develop correctly.
Most duckling feed has boosted vitamin B, but you can also mix a pound of brewer’s yeast with 40 pounds of chick starter if you would rather mix the feed yourself.
Ducklings also need a lot of protein in the first two to four weeks of their life. Specifically, they need 20% protein, while an adult duck needs 15%.
Many duckling feed mixes are also formulated for high protein content but feeding scrambled eggs also works and I find it better, healthier, and easier.
Access to Water Is Crucial
Offering a water bowl and refilling it with fresh, clean water daily is one of the most important parts of their care.
ducks need a waterer that they can submerge their entire heads into to clean out their nostrils.
Because ducklings don’t chew their food, offering certain treats in water can make it easier for them to eat. The water makes the food easier for them to pick up with their round bills and reduces any choking hazard.
Additionally, offering food in water helps keep them hydrated, which is essential when they’re young. They enjoy having access to fresh water to drink and play with, and it can be just as much of a treat as the fruits and vegetables you serve it with.
Dry Feed Is a Choking Hazard
If ducklings aren’t offered an adequate water source to wash down their food, they are at risk of choking. Ducks of any age can have issues swallowing dry food, so offering sanitary water is an important part of their care.
A good way to make feeding easier for very young ducklings is to offer mashed feed. By adding water to their dry food mix and mixing it until it forms an oatmeal consistency, you can make it very easy for them to eat and eliminate choking hazards.
What NOT To Feed
You should avoid feeding some foods to your duckling, either because they are hazardous or do not meet their nutritional needs.
Offering chicken layer feed is a bad idea because it contains too much calcium, which can then stunt their growth.
You should only switch them when they lay their first egg, if at all.
Medicated chicken feed can be dangerous to ducklings.
The medication is dosed for chicks, but because ducklings eat more than chicks they can easily overdose.
Ducklings Love Bugs
Ducks are naturally omnivores, so bugs and worms are a part of their diet in the wild. Supplementing your ducklings and making sure that insects are a part of their diet can be a great way to get extra protein in their diet with a fun treat.
You can try offering insects like earthworms, mealworms, and crickets. You can find bags of dried insects with bird feed supplies or at a farm supply store or purchase live insects from pet stores or fishing supply shops.
Or you can let them forage on pasture like I do which cuts down on feed costs.
I have two articles that address this, 25 REAL Ways To Save Money On Chicken Feed Costs which is just as applicable to ducks. And How To Free-Range Chickens {4 Methods} which is again, just as applicable to ducks.
Treats Ducklings Can Have
Fruits and vegetables can be a great way to give your ducklings a delicious treat. After finding a list of safe foods and picking a treat like kale or pumpkin, all you have to do is cut it into small pieces and offer it in a water dish. These snacks are fun and can add additional vitamins and minerals to your duck’s diet.
There are also a lot of amazing options for protein treats! Insects like crickets, superworms, and black soldier fly larvae are all easy and cheap to offer. Your duck will love them! You can also add dried snacks like mealworms or shrimp to the water. Eggs are another great option and can be scrambled or mashed after cooking and served.
It’s important to offer treats in water to make it easier for your ducks to access. Also, consider how old your ducklings are: while black soldier fly larvae and apple chunks are great for older ducklings, these snacks might be too big for some.
Do Ducklings Need Extra Calcium?
Research on ducklings suggests the calcium and phosphorus levels in commercial feed mixes are adequate. The recommended daily intake of ducklings is also suggested to be lower than what chicks need. As long as a proper feed is offered, ducklings generally don’t need extra calcium.
There are some dangers associated with too little or too much calcium. Ducklings who didn’t get enough calcium in the study were prone to developing rickets and had difficulty breathing because of their rubbery and underdeveloped rib cage. The ducklings with five times the recommended daily calcium intake had depressed growth.
Selecting a duck feed formulated with proper calcium and phosphorus levels is the best way to guarantee your ducks grow healthy and strong.
Do Ducklings Need Grit?
Ducklings must have access to grit because it is a key part of how they digest food with their gizzard. In the wild, they ingest small stones which make their way into their gizzards and are rolled around by the strong muscles of the organ to break down food.
In captivity, offering a small type of grit called “chick grit” can help your ducklings digest their food. Once they’re several weeks old, you can start offering regular grit.
If your ducklings are pastured and free range outdoors daily, they do not need extra grit.
How Much To Feed Ducklings
Ducklings have fast metabolisms, so they must always have access to food. Cleaning and filling up a food bowl in the morning is the best way to feed ducklings, and you can check periodically throughout the day to make sure they haven’t run out.
If you prefer to do scheduled feedings, it’s important that the feedings are frequent and that the ducklings can get as much as they want to eat. Three to four times a day is a good minimum to go by.
You can feed adult ducks much less frequently at two times per day.
What I do is give a small amount of feed in the morning before letting them outside for the day to hunt and forage. In the evening they get a bit more just before bedtime.
How Often Do Ducklings Eat?
Baby ducks will eat as often as they’re hungry, and because their bodies are growing so quickly this can be up to three to four times daily. You don’t have to worry about them overeating at this stage because their bodies just put the nutrients towards growing.
Offering a feeding dish at all times is a great option for feeding baby ducks because they can eat as often as they’re hungry, but if scheduled feedings are a better option for you, three to four feedings a day is excellent for growing ducklings.
How Do Ducklings Eat?
Ducklings have specialized organs called gizzards that help them digest food. Because they don’t have teeth to chew with, the gizzard grinds the food into smaller digestible chunks.
This organ works by using its strong muscles and very small stones the ducklings swallow to grind food. They can find these stones in the wild, or you can give them grit if they are confined. For the first few weeks of life, ducklings will need a small type of grit called “chick grit”.
What Fruits Can Baby Ducks Eat?
While it shouldn’t make up most of their diet, fruit is a great option for giving your ducklings a treat or keeping them hydrated on a hot day. Ducklings love fruit, especially when it is cut small and floated on the water.
There is a lot of fruit that is safe to feed baby ducks. Apples, peaches, or cherries are all safe options for feeding. You will want to remove the pits or seeds and mash or cut the fruit small to make it easier for them to eat.
Ducklings can also eat tomatoes but remove the vines and leaves and only offer the flesh because the rest is toxic.
You can wash and mash or cut pears, strawberries, and berries to offer to the baby ducks. Bananas can be peeled and offered, but discard the skin. You can also offer pumpkin to ducks as a special treat.
What Vegetables Can Ducklings Eat?
Ducklings love eating vegetables, especially when torn into small pieces and put in a refreshing bowl of water.
Cutting the vegetables into small pieces is always important. If a duck eats a large vegetable, the long strands or fibers can get caught in its digestive system.
There are many options to choose from, all of which your ducklings will love eating. Swiss chard, kale, peas, cucumber, lettuce, salad greens, radish, and turnip greens are all safe and delicious options. If you never spray chemicals or pesticides on your lawn, you can also offer cut grass!
Making a home garden for your ducklings can be a simple and safe option to supplement your duck’s diet. Vegetables like salad greens and kale are easy and fun to grow.
Is Medicated Feed Bad For Baby Ducks?
Unfortunately, a medicated feed can harm baby ducks. Medicated chicken feeds protect chicks against a disease called coccidiosis.
Because ducklings eat so much more than chicks, this feed can cause harmful overdoses. Additionally, ducks aren’t prone to catching coccidiosis and don’t need to be specially guarded against it.
How To Raise Baby Ducks
While raising baby ducks is fun, you must use proper care techniques, so you don’t lose any of your new ducklings. This includes keeping them warm and fed and safe from hazards like choking and drowning.
Although baby ducks have down to insulate them, they must be kept warm by their mother or a heat lamp until they have feathers and can regulate their body temperature. For the first week, keep them at 90°F, then lower it by a degree a day until they are acclimated.
Reference the feeding guidelines in this article to ensure your baby ducks get the necessary nutrients.
Is Raising Ducklings Hard?
Raising ducklings can be difficult, but it’s ultimately a rewarding process. Once they have fully fledged into ducks, you will have a beautiful and useful flock that brings joy to your backyard.
It is hardest to raise ducklings while they’re still downy and lack feathers because they’re vulnerable to everything around them and unable to keep themselves warm. Providing them with the necessary warmth and nutrition is very important at this stage.
Once they’re older and their feathers have grown in, ducklings become more resourceful and tenacious with each day. They learn how to fly and forage and are much more skilled at protecting themselves and finding the resources they need.
What Are Ducklings Raised For?
I raise ducks for the same reason I raise chickens — meat and eggs. In the case of ducks you get down and feathers too that are quite valuable and useful.
I raise Saxony, Cayuga, Muscovy, and Welsh Harlequin ducks and I’m looking to add Silver Appleyard ducks too.
Ducks are hardy and resourceful animals that can be useful in any farm or backyard garden. They are fun to raise and skilled enough at foraging and protecting their flock that they are easy to care for once grown.
Their poop is great high nitrogen fertilizer, and while foraging, they eat many of the pests that might otherwise plague your garden.
Many people raise ducks for their eggs, meat, companionship, or beauty.
Are Ducklings Worth Raising?
I believe that raising ducks is a great way to invest in the health and liveliness of your family and land.
In return, ducks can provide fresh eggs and meat — and the best part is that you know everything that went into your food until it arrived on your plate.
Ducks can also be much gentler than chickens and can be great companion animals. There are also many breeds of ducks on the market selectively bred for beauty, and raising one of these varieties of ducks can add a great spectacle to your homestead.
Full-grown ducks are low maintenance and high reward and a great addition to any farm. After investing some time into raising your ducks, you will find that each day with your flock comes with new rewards.
