Muscovies don't eat slugs

[blackforestbirds]

I recently acquired 2 Muscovy females, they are probably about 6-8 months old. I absolutely adore them but am genuinely baffled by the fact that they will not eat slugs, worms or bugs. I have read so many blogs and articles about their famously voracious appetite for garden pests but while they will pick up slugs and snails in their bills when I provide them with a bowl full, they ultimately just spit them out. I also tried feeding them strawberries, cherry tomatoes, kale, green beans, chard, romaine, celery tops and carrot strips. They completely ignored all of them except for picking up and spitting out a couple of cherry tomatoes. I've had them for two months and the only things they will eat so far are grass, chicken feed, black oil sunflower seeds and frozen peas. They also ignored scrambled eggs, thistle seed and bird suet. They are very active, look healthy and seem to be genuinely happy in their new home. Has anyone else experienced picky Muscovies? I would be thrilled if they hunted slugs, snakes and mice like I've seen in YouTube videos but I mostly just want to be sure they're getting a balanced, nutritious diet.

 

[SolarDuck]

Ducks in general are pretty picky and assume new foods are poison. I think they're probably just still getting used to their new surroundings, and they will most likely eventually try them and realize they like them. Their previous owner maybe had them penned in somewhere they had never seen slugs before.

 

[blackforestbirds]

Ducks in general are pretty picky and assume new foods are poison. I think they're probably just still getting used to their new surroundings, and they will most likely eventually try them and realize they like them. Their previous owner maybe had them penned in somewhere they had never seen slugs before.

Thanks for the tip! They were previously confined to a small pen. The previous owner lives on a lake and he almost lost them the first day when they took off swimming. He gave them layer feed and they had grass growing in their pen. It never occurred me that they might simply prefer the familiar. Should I gradually stop giving them chicken feed if I want them to try other foods?

 

[SolarDuck]

Should I gradually stop giving them chicken feed if I want them to try other foods?

Actually switch to duck feed if you can find any locally it is better for ducks than chicken feed, but no I wouldn't stop giving them food.

 

[blackforestbirds]

My local co-op doesn't have duck feed. I'll try finding it online. They spend most of the day foraging and eat lots of grass.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muswcovy will not eat a slug. Maybe it's the slime but they just walk away. But earth worms they love. Never seen a snail so maybe they have eaten all of them. lol My Muscovy love dried mealworms and dry dog food as a treat, They only get the dry dog food a couple tmes a week, if you think you might try them on some make sure it's small enough kibble they can swallow easily.
Love to see pics when you can.

 

[blackforestbirds]

 

[blackforestbirds]

 

[blackforestbirds]

Video of them splashing in their "pool"

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are gorgeous