Peas for ducks?

[Kedreeva]

So I've seen a bunch of people talking about giving peas to their ducks as treats and I would like to give this a try, but what sort of peas? The only sort of little round peas I can think of come frozen or canned and I cannot recall ever seeing them fresh. Do you just thaw frozen ones? Dump out the canned ones? Is there a secret fresh pea vendor who travels around selling fresh peas to duck owners? I admit the last one would be the coolest, but I suspect there is another solution you guys can help me find.

The other questions are- do you just give them the peas? Throw them in the water? Is there anything that can be added to the peas for nutrient's sake? I was hoping to be able to give these to my little micro-duck but I feel like peas don't seem like they would hold onto any additives.

Thanks in advance!

 

[javajanie]

I just keep a bag in the freezer and thaw about a 1/2 cup every night. It's my way of bribing them into their pen at night.

Not sure about adding anything to 'em. I've read here on the board not to use canned as they have added salt. I'm sure someone else might have some advice for some additives for your micro-duck.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

There’s always an odd duck /goose in the bunch. I got some frozen pees last week. Thawed them out really well in warm water. Neither of our two ducks or two geese would touch them. They go crazy for hand fed scratch grain. Guess I have peculiar critters.

 

[kylee2katie]

i buy the cheapest frozen english peas i can find - i usually thaw half and they eat them from my hand. the other half I throw frozen into their pool so they can dive for them!
In a pinch, I will use canned peas but I rinse them several times. I have 8 ducks so I use a whole bag per day.

 

[farmerKEN]

I thought I read that peas lose a lot of nutritional value within days of being picked so its best to get them right off the plant or frozen.

 

[FenDruadin]

I want to meet the secret traveling pea vendor. No, I want to BE the secret traveling pea vendor. Do I feed them directly to the ducks, or do I have to go through the owner first? What's the pay scale, and where do I turn in my resume??

To be honest, I've never fed peas to my ducks. But seems like thawing them is a real good idea. Although... wouldn't frozen peas be refreshing on a hot day? Any danger in giving them the peas still frozen? My children eat frozen peas and corn straight out of the freezer and call it a treat, so would the ducks like that too?

 

[Hattiegun]

One of mines favorite is frozen (thawed) peas... one loves frozen (thawed) corn
One loves tomatoes (chopped up) and they all 4 luv greens.....they will eat alittle fruit here and there but of several thing Ive tried , these are their favorites...if they hear the plastic sack or see the tupperware containers they come a runnin lol..

 

[Kedreeva]

Quote:
I googled 'secret pea vendor' but apparently it is so secret that google has not cached it yet. Oh well.

As for feeding them frozen

I know I can't feed frozen mice to my snake (even if he would eat them, which he won't) because it does bad things to his system... but I can't imagine leaving them frozen would really harm a warm blooded critter.

So the consensus seems to be get some frozen peas on the way home to try! I will probably toss them into their pool, because they do so love to forage. They still check the corners for rosies every time they get into the pool.... Spoiled birds!

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Bagged Frozen works but my ducks really love fresh picked peas.. SO I grew a row just for them, been producing all summer. I just tear the pods in half to expose the peas inside and give them a treat now and then. Other garden treats include some broccolli leaves and greens I grow specifically for them(Chard is quite productive and well liked and better nutritional value than lettuce. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=16

 

[FenDruadin]

Quote:
YOU are the secret traveling pea vendor!! We have found you!!

Okay, when is your next visit to Charlotte? Will you please bring peas and feed them to my ducks? They will be waiting...