Treats for adult ducks?

[chickenlisa]

When we picked up our female duck on Saturday-the lady told my daughter that she (thee duck) would love my daughter forever if she feeds her worms and corn. WEll, worms are self-explanetory, but should the corn be canned, dried, on the cob, fresh,etc... Our rabbit food has dried pieces of corn in it,along with other tasty colored things for the bunny. I'm just wondering what kind of corn to feed Holly. (Buddy and Holly -the 2 adult Blue Swedish ducks. My 16 yr old son named her that after we got Buddy-already named.)
Lisa

 

[Critter Crazy]

If you feed them corn, i would feed Cracked corn from a feed store, or fresh corn on the cob. I wouldnt feed canned corn, as there is added salt, and that isnt good. Cracked corn or fresh corn is best. Only feed corn in moderation, as a treat. Treats, are just hat, treats. You dont want them to fill up on treats, and not eat their food. But yes, Ducks love corn.

Other teats you can feed ducks: scrambled eggs, tomatoes and finely chopped lettuce. Hardboiled eggs are good, including the ones they lay themselves. The eggs are hardboiled, cooled then chopped finely with the shell. Ducks love earthworms, meal worms, slugs, bugs and live snails with the shell on.

Never feed ducks bread, bread products, popcorn, chips or "junk food" that offers no nutritional value. These foods are extrmemly damaging to your duck. Ducks eat the bad stuff first, ignoring the healthy foods they need.

Seeds and seeded breads are very bad for ducks. Seeds can cause painful digestive problems. Chocolate can be fatal (just as in dogs). Although ducks appear to enjoy treats of almost every variety, junk food causes malnutrition and leads to death in a surprisingly short time.

 

[Picco]

Ducks love chopped greens, especially dandelion greens. I've read that the prefered grain to feed ducks is wheat. You can buy wheat at the feed store for a little cheaper than you can buy cracked corn. it comes in small kernals so its easier for the ducks to eat. If you put the treats in a shallow bucket of water the ducks will be able to eat it more easily and the greens will stay fresh longer.

 

[chickenlisa]

THank you Maggie (Critter crazy) and Picco . I'll print these replies and add them to my duck info binder. Picco-I'm from Upstate NY-Jamestown specifically! Where are you?
Lisa

 

[Picco]

I'm on the opposite side of the state on the VT border and hour's drive north of Albany.

 

[chickens really]

Corn actually is to high in fat. I never feed corn. Watermelon, peas, cooked spaghetti squash. Cooked pasta. Lots of grasses. Romaine lettuce