Can Ducks Eat Arugula? 7 Health Benefits!
Arugula is a nutritious addition to ducks’ diet as it can provide rich vitamins and minerals.
So, can ducks eat arugula? Arguably, yes, ducks eat arugula. It’s considered a palatable green with high nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. But you need to consider the contaminants and oxalic acid content, which is unsafe for the avians. But it’s a small amount, so chill!
It’s crucial to have an understanding of feeding such green leaves. Otherwise, the waterfowl may get into trouble. However, I will help you with good tips and knowledge about arugula in ducks’ diet!
Table of Contents
Can Ducks Eat Arugula? Is Arugula Safe For Ducks?
It’s actually okay if you prefer to feed a moderate amount of arugula to nourish the duck. Although arugula has some negatives, like low levels of oxalates, healthy nutrients will satisfy the ducks’ needs, I guess. But if it were in the case of spinach or beet greens, just avoid it for ducks since they have high oxalates.
Arugula can be a healthy treat, but it doesn’t deserve to be on the list of ducks’ daily diet. If given as an occasional treat, your ducks will have enough benefits. In particular, they’ll have:
- Vitamins
- Mineral
- Carbohydrate
- Antioxidants
- Fiber
- Protein.
However, forget about the toxicity and think about the benefits and specialty of superfood arugula. If you want to feed some, bring some from the nearby grocery store.
Based on Researchgate Research, arugula is good either green, as a salad, or even as a cooked form. The trials show that it can be harvested from regrowth progressively after 20-27 days. So, for the poultry business, I think feeding arugula can be a wise idea!
You may become curious to see how ducks eat arugula. Here is a video I found on Facebook.
Ducklings In Yard: Can Baby Ducks Eat Arugula?
Yes, you can go for arugula leaves to feed the ducks. But don’t give excessively since they need to start feeding at a young age.
And to feed arugula to ducklings, you need to follow some ideas we are generating. Have a look!
- Ensure it’s a completely fresh arugula.
- Introduce the arugula leaves gradually in a small quantity.
- Offer only the chopped or shredded form of arugula leaves.
- They may not like the taste of such leaves, so monitor how they react.
Until they become adult ducks, prioritize their diet requirements. You can visit the nearby vet or avian expert to know how you should feed arugula to baby ducks.
Raw Arugula: Do Ducks Eat The Raw Form?
Backyard poultries are good to consume raw arugula. Although it has a bitter taste with a strong smell, health benefits cannot be neglected, particularly in raw arugula.
Raw arugula can be a protector against cancers such as prostate, lung, breast, or even colon cancers. In the case of ducks’ health, raw arugula is a nutritious treat for ducks. Specifically, it contributes to ensuring better immunity and digestion and protecting cells from oxidative damage.
In general, you’ll get 50% of your vitamin K needs, 20% of your daily vitamin A needs, 8% of calcium, and 4% of folate requirements only by consuming 2 cups of raw arugula. So, ducks will have something healthy for sure!
What About The Cooked Arugula For Ducks?
Personally, I don’t prefer to feed cooked arugula greens. Cooked rockets or arugula become smaller when heated up for cooking. So, you’ll have to get plenty of such leafy greens. And you may know ducks are fond of raw vegetation.
On the other hand, cooked form changes the textures, taste, and even nutritional value. So, I think cooked ones become less acceptable for avians.
And we encourage raw arugula as it’s much better than cooked ones, particularly for ducks. The reason is low calorie and low fat, which is an advantage for ducks.
But please, don’t compare it to spinach. Because spinach has leads in the case of the amount of vitamin A and beta carotene. In that case, ducks are good with cooked spinach.
Arugula Nutrition Facts: What Nutritions Are There In Arugula?
In the wild or in the farm, ducks should swallow some arugula greens to have some nutritional benefits. But what are the nutritional properties of arugula? According to the data from USDA, take a look at the table to have a clear view.
| Nutrients (Raw Arugula) | Quantity (Per 100 Grams) |
|---|---|
| Water | 91.7 g |
| Protein | 2.58 g |
| Fat | 0.66 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3.65 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g |
| Sugars | 2.05 g |
| Vitamin A, IU | 2370 IU |
7 Health Benefits: How Feeding Arugula Benefits The Ducks?
This is confirmed: birds get a nutritional boost from having some leafy greens like arugula. So, while talking about ducks, let’s see what the beneficial points are there.
- Immunity System Booster: The presence of vitamin A in arugula is a big part that helps to grow and confirms a better immune system. Besides, the ducks will have improved night vision and bone development.
- Feather And Skin: As a nutritious snack, leafy greens like arugula can make the bird’s skin and feather condition better. So, the ducks will have the same benefit!
- Contributor To Digestion System: As you know, fiber plays a role in better digestion. So, if ducks get some arugula, they’ll have proper digestion. It helps to lower the cholesterol level through bile acid binding in the digestive tract and cleaning it from the body.
- Balance Blood Pressure And Blood Flow: You’ll find potassium in the arugula that regulates blood pressure and blood flow.
- Protecting Cells: Antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene help the duck’s cells from oxidative damage. Trust me, antioxidants work like magic!
- Muscle Functioning: Calcium intake in arugula helps the ducks to have better muscle function and even works for the body’s nervous system.
- Repairing Tissue: Protein intake in arugula is a beneficial component that repairs the ducks’ body tissue and keeps the skeletal muscles and skin in better condition.
How Arugula Is Bad For Ducks? 5 Potential Drawbacks
No doubt, ducks will have plenty of health benefits when they eat some arugula leaves. But such cruciferous vegetables have some negative facts that you need to know.
- Pesticide Residues Are Risky: Usually, all fruits and veggies have pesticides in them, which is a harmful component for ducks. Therefore, we prefer to wash the arugula first!
- Toxic Elements: You’ll find nitrate where improper storage can result in bacteria converting the nitrate to nitrite. And it’s quite harmful!
- Taking A High Dose Is Bad: Taking a high dose of arugula is unsafe since it contains erucic acid. Based on ScienceDirect research, it’s particularly the seeds that have approximately 45% erucic acid and 9% gadoleic acid.
- Overfeeding Is Harmful: Never overfeed such leafy veggies! It will surely cause digestion trouble for ducks.
- Wild Arugulas Are More Toxic: Ducks may find arugula in the wild, but it’s not safe for them. So, be a good observer to keep them safe from the toxicity of wild arugula.
Related Readings:
Feeding Tips For Ducks: How Can You Feed Arugula to Ducks?
Feeding arugula is not a big trouble for any poultry owner or farmer. But at least you need to have some basic ideas. That’s why I am sharing the right and easiest way of feeding arugula.
How Much To Feed Arugula
A clean and clear idea is to feed in moderation. Ducks require 4 to 6 ounces of feed each day. Where arugula can be a part of their nutritious snacks.
In general, it depends on the size and diet requirements of your ducks. And the general guideline is to feed 1 or 2 cups of chopped arugula to 5 or 6 ducks.
How Often To Provide Arugula
As I said before, it’s a healthy treat, not a staple food for ducks. Such treats can not cross more than 5 to 10% of their total diet. And don’t give arugula more than once or twice each week.
5 Ideas To Serve Arugula To Ducks
Your ducks may enjoy arugula in some ways, such as:
- Serving on a plate or dish
- You can mix it into your daily meal or mash it with other foods
- Tossing these leafy greens on the ground is also a good idea
- Giving cooked form is okay, but I prefer raw arugula, which contains more nutrients.
- You can hand-feed arugula as well.
4 Ways To Feed Arugula
Now, here comes the main point of feeding! Follow the tips I am sharing!
- Wash Properly: contaminants or Pesticides are always there in arugula! So, wash it thoroughly to remove such toxic things.
- Introduce Gradually: Instead of adding such greens to their diet, gradually introduce them. They need some time to be friendly with such vegetables.
- Shredding And Chopping: Ducks may have a tough time digesting arugula when they eat large pieces. Therefore, I suggest giving the chopped or shredded form of arugulas.
- Serve Occasionally: Arugula is a healthy treat for ducks, but they should only eat it occasionally. It’s a way of nourishment when they become bored with regular diets!
What Avian Experts Talk About Feeding Arugula?
If you visit the vet or avian experts for tips about feeding arugula, they’ll give positive feedback. They’ll say arugula, along with other leafy greens, are such a great nourishment.
They may give you advice to ensure the freshness of the arugula before feeding. And you must avoid moldy arugula for ducks. Besides, they may encourage you to feed in a proper way, similar to the ideas I have shared.
Recommended Reading: What Vegetables Can Ducks Eat
FAQs
Here is a Q&A section where you’ll find some additional points based on arugula as ducks’ occasional treat.
Q. How Can I Introduce Arugula To Ducks?
You can gradually introduce arugula by offering a small quantity. And monitor how they react and eat arugula.
Q. What Alternative Greens Available For Ducks?
Except for the greens like arugula, you can serve veggies like lettuce, spinach, watercress, or kale.
Q. Can Ducks Eat Frozen Arugulas?
I think ducks should eat the thawed form of arugula instead of directly eating the frozen arugula.
Final Verdict
In short, ducks can eat arugula, but you need to keep the potential risks in mind. I am talking about the toxicity in arugula! Just be careful about it and give a moderate amount of arugula to ducks. Because some of them may hate it, and some may not.
However, give importance to the food sources they need. If you prefer to give arugula, offer the raw form after washing it thoroughly. It’s a good move! And follow the given tips we added for feeding. Your ducks would love to swallow such leafy greens for sure!
Sources And Resources:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239428553_Arugula_A_Promising_Specialty_Leaf_Vegetable
- https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/100111p20.shtml
