What do muscovies eat?

[Steffanyace]

Silly question, I know, but they eat so many different things. I always wonder what there is available in the yard for them to forage on. In the summer we have tons of grasshoppers, but what about other times during the year? I just found out they eat dandelions, and sure enough, we don't have any in our yard this year. We feed ours Mazouri water fowl pellets, but it would be nice to know how much of a natural food source are they getting while free ranging in the day.

Also, I've heard oyster shell is important for egg production, but what about wild muscovies? What do they do for that?

I've seen my muscovies eat a scorpion, spiders, grasshoppers, seeds off of weeds, and dog food. I wish my dog would leave the duck feed alone and the ducks would leave the dog food alone, but that is a topic for another day . . .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Silly question, I know, but they eat so many different things. I always wonder what there is available in the yard for them to forage on. In the summer we have tons of grasshoppers, but what about other times during the year? I just found out they eat dandelions, and sure enough, we don't have any in our yard this year. We feed ours Mazouri water fowl pellets, but it would be nice to know how much of a natural food source are they getting while free ranging in the day.

Also, I've heard oyster shell is important for egg production, but what about wild muscovies? What do they do for that?

I've seen my muscovies eat a scorpion, spiders, grasshoppers, seeds off of weeds, and dog food. I wish my dog would leave the duck feed alone and the ducks would leave the dog food alone, but that is a topic for another day . . .

Not sure how wild Muscovys get the calcium they need but if they have access to ponds lakes and river they probably eat shell fish and snails etc which my help provide some. My Muscovys eat alot of bugs good bugs and bad bugs, they ate most of the preying mantis I had around here but they also wiped out the grass hopper pop too and slugs we use to be over run with them, not anymore. I do give my flock treats of meal worms and kale and shredded lettuce during winter months when there isn't much natural resourses to eat. but other than their feed they pretty much take care of themselves in the warm months. My dogs love the duck feed too . I keep oyster shell out year round since I have chickens that lay year round.