Ducks are not choosy and will eat anything edible. These birds will also like it much if you toss those tasty treats for them to supplement their diet. So, do ducks eat grapes?
It is hard to tell what the diet of ducks is comprised of. In the wild, ducks like Cayuga and mallards will eat fish, water snails, mussel, pond weed and graze on fresh grass.
Domestic ducks like Muscovy and khaki Campbell will eat crumbles, pellets, grains, kitchen scrap and graze on grass and weeds while they range.
It is surprising rather than shocking to know that these birds can devour on small snakes. It sounds strange but if small snakes cross their path, they will end up in their stomachs as food.
Do ducks eat grapes?
Yes they do! Grapes are very nutritious and are good for ducks to eat. These awesome treats contain a host of vitamins and minerals that are very important for the health of your ducks.
However, grapes should be fed to ducks in limited amounts and should never displace and replace their main diet of crumbles and pellets.
Treats should only account for not more than 10% of the ducks diet. Remember that grapes are rich in sugars which are not good for ducks.
Too much sugar consumption in ducks will make them gain too much weight. Sugar is normally converted into fat and stored in body tissues. When ducks get obese they are prone to joint and back problems.
Fat ducks are prone to liver and heart issues. Additionally, these birds are too heavy to fly or run when chased by predator. This makes them vulnerable and become easy prey.
How should grapes be fed to ducks?
Whole grapes can be very big for ducks to swallow. Remember that ducks swallow their food whole without chewing.
Ducks do not have teeth. Those serrated notches you see in some duck breeds like hooded mergansers are not real teeth. They are used to filter food from mud and grip slippery foods like slimy snails and fish.
So, ducks do not chew food but rather, swallow them whole unless what they are eating is mashed or ground into powder.
Chop grapes into halves before tossing them to ducks. Consider baby ducks or ducklings. These tiny birds will easily choke when trying to swallow any large particles.
You can mash a bowl of grapes using a potato masher and serve them in paste form. This way, this grapes will be easier for them to eat.
Maybe you want to mix grapes with other treats like bananas or blackberries. That’s an awesome idea as this way they will eat several treats in one serving.
Do not toss any duck food directly on the ground. The ground is full of germs and eating dirty food can make your webbed pals sick. Serve their food in clean duck feeders and remove any remaining food after they have enough of it.
Leaving left over food in the duck coop may attract rats and other vermin. In addition to that, it may get bad which make your birds sick if eaten.
What types of grapes are good for ducks?
Ripe grapes are the best for ducks. When well ripened, this fruit contains the highest level of nutrients and it is sweet to eat.
Red or green grapes are both good for your pet ducks. As long as they are ripe and tender I find them safe to feed ducks.
It is very important you feed you flock of ducks with grapes that you are very sure where they were grown. Some contains large amounts of pesticides that can be toxic to you birds.
Ducks will also eat the grape leaves and soft parts of the grape vine. If they sneak in the vineyard, they will munch on the leaves and even damage the crops as they try to scour looking for slugs and other tasty insects.
These birds will try to jump trying to reach for those leaves high above. This way, ducks can cause damage on growing grapes but on the other hand help to control the number of insect pests and notorious weeds.
How many grapes should ducks eat?
Grapes are not the main course but rather they are treats just like mealworms and whole corn. All treats should be fed in moderation because they are meant to supplement their diets with extra nutrients.
Remember, grapes are sweet and laden with sugar. If ducks develop a taste for sugary foods they may refuse to eat their diet of crumbles and pellets.
Also, these tasty treats can make your birds obese and overweight. Toss a handful of grapes to your girls once in a while.
Grapes can also be mixed with other fruits like strawberries and put in a freezer. Serve the frozen fruits on a hot summer day to help cool their bodies.
What other fruits can ducks eat?
Ducks will enjoy a variety of fruits a part from grapes. Feed them with water melons, apples, plum, peaches and ripe mangoes.
However, too much mango can cause sore throat and stomach complications. Seeds of fruits like grapes, peaches, apple and plums contain too much cyanide a toxic chemical substance to ducks.
Apart from the above fruit seeds, do not feed green tomatoes, rhubarb and all the plants that belong to the night shade family.
These plants contain solanine an alkaloid that can cause death to ducks. You can treat your ducks with scrambled eggs to boost their protein levels. Raw eggs should never be fed to these birds because they encourage egg eating habit which is hard to stop.
However, egg shells are good and healthy. Shells are rich in calcium which helps in the formation of strong and healthy bones.
Whole nuts like peanuts are not good for ducks. If you want to share some of your nuts with them, ensure they are crushed into tiny pieces that are easy to swallow.
Sweet potatoes, whole grains, left over vegetables like celery and asparagus are good too for ducks to eat. These foods will supplement them with additional vitamins and minerals.
Spinach and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are not good. These foods are known to reduce the ability of ducks to absorb calcium in their bodies.
Any spoilt food can easily be a recipe of diseases and even death. Grains that are moldy contain a harmful chemical called aflatoxin that is poisonous when ingested.
Do ducks need water and grit?
Yes! Water is very important to ducks. They cannot eat without water nearby because they easily choke from dry food.
These birds also love to take a long bath to clean their feathers and keep their fat bodies cool. When raising ducks, ensure they have a pool where they can dunk and freshen up.
Water helps in digestion and egestion of waste food. Duck poop is made up of much water than solid waste and is gushed out in a messy froth.
Grit helps in the digestion of food. It is made up of sand, small stones and pebbles. Grit acts as duck teeth where it grinds hard food into a paste in the duck gizzard.
Summary
Grapes are good treats for ducks. They are good when fed in moderation. Toss this treat at least once or twice per week. They will supplement their diet with additional vitamins and minerals.
If you have to mix grapes with kitchen scrap or leftover food, make sure it has no salt, butter or oils. The digestive system of ducks cannot handle this.
Make sure the grapes you are feeding your pet ducks are chopped into tiny pieces. This way, the birds can swallow them with ease without choking.
So, can ducks eat grapes? Yes they can in moderation as a treat but not as the main course.
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