Can ducks eat duck eggs? and other questions

[Bellevue]

Hi there,

I'm a newbie so I have lots of questions. I took one of my female ducks to the vet yesterday and while I was there I ask her if it was ok to give the eggs back to the ducks every now and then. I thought it was and I have been putting boiled egg in with there vegies and then in the blender. I put pellets on top. They eat it all very fast in one sitting. I didn't mention to the vet that the eggs are boiled and mixed with veg. They really have not had many duck eggs to eat at all as I have mostly given them chicken eggs. The vet said that if you give ducks their duck eggs to eat they will get into the habit of eating them when they are laid. It is a hard habit to break apparently. She said other species eggs like chicken eggs are ok. What do you all think?

Also, we are coming into summer and the flies around the duck house and food area is horrid. Any good ideas to keep the flies away?

 

[nurse_turtle]

I feed boiled eggs to all my fowl (ducks, chickens, quail and guineas). Eggs are the perfect food for humans and most other land critters.

 

[LightningTFarm]

I'm surprised the ducks aren't feasting on all those flies.

 

[PlumTuckered]

I think the vet may have assumed you were cracking the fresh eggs open in front of the ducks and allowing them to eat them. In a case like that yes, it would encourage them to eat their eggs after laying, however carrying a dish of hard boiled or scrambled eggs out to your ducks is very different. I feed both hard boiled (chopped up) and scrambled eggs to my ducks, chickens, turkeys, dogs and cat.

Michelle

 

[Bellevue]

Thanks for your reply. I am thinking my ducks are the first real ducks my vet has seen. I will keep giving them some cooked egg then. Cheers ;0)

 

[Bellevue]

These are swarms of baby files. Really gross, I have been hosing to keep them away a bit. The ducks are not eating them. maybe a silly question but can ducks get heart worm like dogs can?

 

[LightningTFarm]

That I don't know. I didn't see it when I read Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, and they had a pretty comprehensive list of possible ailments.

 

[Bellevue]

Thanks for your reply. I wonder if anyone else knows if ducks can get heart-worm or not.

 

[rainplace]

I think heartworm in dogs and cats comes from mosquito. I did a quick google search and the only reference I came across for avian heartworm was in swans and geese found here: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/chapter_31.pdf

 

[wildpeas]

Heartworms come from mosquitoes and providing a wet area (hosing the flies down I think you said) will just encourage more flies. They like moist environs.