Feeding your backyard ducks can be more nutritious and engaging than simply tossing bread crumbs.
While wild ducks forage for a diverse diet, domestic ducks often rely on you for proper nutrition. Commercial feed provides a baseline, but supplementing with homemade treats guarantees variety and meets specific dietary needs. You’ll need to avoid harmful ingredients like bread, chocolate, and processed foods.
Instead, consider these five DIY treat options that support digestive health, provide essential nutrients, and mimic natural foraging behaviors.
Frozen Pea and Corn Popsicles
Two nutritionally valuable vegetables, peas and corn, can be transformed into revitalizing popsicles that ducks will enthusiastically consume during hot weather.
These frozen treats for ducks provide essential hydration while delivering key nutrients waterfowl require.
To prepare, you’ll need fresh or thawed frozen peas and corn—always unsalted and unseasoned.
Mix these vegetables with water in ice cube trays and freeze completely.
Never add sugar, salt, or flavorings that could harm duck nutrition.
Serve these popsicles by placing them in shallow dishes where ducks can peck safely.
Don’t overfeed; treat quantities shouldn’t exceed 10% of their daily diet.
Chopped Vegetable Medley With Oats
While frozen treats help ducks cool down in summer, a nutrient-rich vegetable medley combined with oats provides balanced nutrition year-round. This mixture delivers essential vitamins and fiber that support digestive health and immune function.
For ideal vegetable benefits, finely dice leafy greens, carrots, cucumber, and zucchini. These vegetables deliver carotenoids and antioxidants vital for feather condition and vision.
Combine with uncooked rolled oats for added protein and B vitamins. Oat nutrition complements the vegetables perfectly, providing energy without empty calories.
Always serve in moderation near water sources, allowing ducks to moisten the mixture naturally. Avoid seasoning or adding oils.
Mealworm and Seed Mix Balls
Mealworms and seeds combine to form protein-rich treat balls that ducks enthusiastically devour while gaining essential nutrients.
These compact treats provide concentrated mealworm benefits including high-quality protein, essential amino acids, and natural foraging stimulation.
Mix dried mealworms with unsalted pumpkin, sunflower, and millet seeds for ideal seed nutrition.
Bind ingredients with a small amount of plain rolled oats and water.
Don’t add honey or sweeteners that can harm waterfowl digestive systems.
Serve sparingly—once weekly maximum—as supplements to their primary diet.
Always monitor your ducks for allergic reactions when introducing new protein sources.
Leafy Green and Berry Salad
Leafy greens and berries create an antioxidant-rich salad that provides essential vitamins and minerals for ideal duck health.
Combine chopped kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce as your base—these leafy greens deliver calcium vital for eggshell formation in female ducks.
Add blueberries, strawberries (sliced), and raspberries in moderation. Berry benefits include immune support through vitamin C and inflammation reduction.
Don’t include avocados or onions, as they’re toxic to waterfowl.
Serve this mix fresh and unseasoned—no salt, dressings, or additives.
Always chop greens into manageable pieces to prevent choking, especially for ducklings whose foraging abilities are still developing.
Cucumber and Melon “Duck Sushi” Rolls
These revitalizing cucumber and melon rolls offer hydration and essential nutrients for your ducks while mimicking their natural foraging experience.
The cucumber benefits include crucial electrolytes and silica that support feather health and immune function.
To prepare, slice cucumbers into thin rounds and watermelon into small strips. Roll the melon inside the cucumber slices, securing with toothpicks if needed. This sushi presentation encourages pecking behavior as ducks work to separate the components.
Don’t use seasoning or additives. Serve immediately and remove any leftovers within an hour to prevent bacterial growth.
Limit treats to 10% of your ducks’ daily diet.
