Has anyone had any issues feeding your ducks caterpillars? I just found a bunch and want toss them in the run, but I wanted to make sure that most caterpillars were ok for ducks. Granted, if it was not ok, the duck would just not eat it hopefully.
From the little I know, it's iffy. Often the bristles on caterpillars cause irritation, so I might just pass on that opportunity. Wouldn't it be nice to have an encyclopedia of Things Outdoors That Are Okay to Feed to Your Ducks? My first year with the runners, I was often looking up various plants' safety. And I discovered my Runners won't eat red lily leaf beetles. But they go for Japanese beetles and squash bugs. I also discovered that they do not always choose to eat what is healthy for them.
You might have better luck looking up the particular caterpillars. I have had tobacco hornworm caterpillars on my tomatoes for two years running. At first, I chopped them and tossed them in with the guinea fowl. They wouldn't touch them. Then I read the horns can sting, and they have toxins in their bodies. I do think it depends on the caterpillar. But I have heard of many that are poison. If you can't find an answer for the kind you have, might be safest not to feed it to them. And I'd second ... ducks don't always know what's good for themselves.
Heck, if they will go for squash bugs I will be happy. Last year I was over run with them. Right now I have no idea what they are finding in the grass as they free range, but the little happy quacks are constantly heard. They go thru garden snails and crickets like they are nothing and will fight over the large tiger slugs if I toss one in the cage... Worms and big juicy jun bug grubs are also happy-honk worthy. I have one sweet girl that just went broody and she will hiss at me if I come too close, however, she is not so entrenched that she won't gobble down a bunch of worms if I toss them within reaching distance... Also, I am growing mealworms for the colder months. **** those things take forever to grow. I started out with 5000 and now, I have so many mico-babies that I will have happy birds throughout next winter.. lol..
With out thinking the last two years I have tossed tomato horn worms in to the duck pool to watch as our swedish blues play tug of war.
