Can Ducks Eat Cherries? Make Your Ducks Shiny

Bird-like ducks can go after the cherries because they look mouthwatering. But stone fruits always need some preparation.

Now the query is, Can ducks eat cherries? Certainly, ducks can eat cherries when given as a treat, and ducks love cherries. But take off the pits or seeds before serving. The nutritional benefits are immense. What I personally like is that cherries make your ducks shiny. For a pet duck owner only, this can be a deal-maker. And the risk is totally worth it if you are careful.

And you can learn how to be careful from us. After all the boring parts in the beginning, you can read the section describing how to serve cherries to ducks. Make your ducks shiny.

Can Ducks Eat Cherries? Is It Safe For Ducks?

Yes, ducks will be safe if they consume cherries as a supplement. Particularly, ground cherries can be a part of ducks’ variety of food diets.

The presence of cyanogenic glycosides in cherry seeds releases cyanide. So, it’s clear that pits or seeds are the rivals of your feathered friend.

Never feed with cherry seeds or stones, as it may even kill your duck or other birds. Therefore, take precautions such as feeding in moderation and throwing away the seeds.

Can Ducklings Eat Cherries?

No, cherries are not a good snack for baby ducklings, at least for the first 4 weeks. Baby ducks have sensitive stomach and digestion systems, so don’t add cherries to their food chart.

Plus, pits and seeds should never be given as they may cause a choking hazard, as well as toxicity. Therefore, you must remove the seeds first and then gradually introduce the cherries to them.

Recommended Reads: Stone Fruits for Ducks

10 Forms Of Safe And Unsafe Cherries For Ducks

Among the wide variety of cherry forms, will it be okay to serve any type of cherry as a tasty treat? Or should we be picky enough to choose the right cherry type for the backyard friend? Take a look!

Nutritional Value Chart For Cherry

Cherries are attractive due to plenty of nutritional value, such as essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. Here is a detailed nutrition table according to the data from USDA.

8 Noteworthy Benefits Of Feeding Cherry To Ducks

Are you ready to feed some cherries to your backyard mallard or muscovy backyard ducks? If so, why don’t you just take a look at the benefits you’re offering by serving cherries as a healthy snack?

1. Better Immune System

If you missed understanding the health benefits of eating cherries, you missed a big point! You may not know that cherries are an essential source of vitamins like A and C. Vitamin C and polyphenols, both of which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Such elements ensure a better immune system, eyesight, and skin health, as well as fighting infections. So, the same goes for the duck’s health!

2. Increased Metabolic Energy

You’ll find a few standout points if you gossip about ducks’ diets. They require more protein or fat than any other poultry bird. Where regular feed may not be enough for them. So, the name cherry is listed in their diet.

Feeding fresh cherries as a tasty fruit to adult ducks is a way to fulfill their need for protein and fat. We found vitamin B6 is there to boost metabolism and protein, which improves muscle growth. However, you may check how metabolic features play out in cherries.

3. Ensures Weight Management

Ducks gain excess weight so easily from fat or sugar. Feeding cherries is completely safe when given in moderation.

The low-fat content of cherries ensures ducks won’t gain weight and remain healthy weight. Additionally, cherries are a good occasional healthy treat for ducks with heart disease or high cholesterol levels. So, feed cherries to ducks in moderation!

4. Good Digestion

Typically, the digestion of ducks is quite common in their lives. Cherries have fiber content that helps the duck digest easily.

5. Prevents Cell Damage

Polyphenols, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, are abundant compounds in cherries. Also, Antioxidants in cherries include vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin, lycopene, and anthocyanins.

Antioxidants in cherries prevent cell damage in your ducks’ bodies. 

But how? Well, it neutralizes oxidative stress caused by free radicals on cell walls and membranes within the duck’s body.

Can you believe it? Such things can cause fatal diseases like cancer in ducks! But cherries act as an anti-cancer agent. On the other side, iron is there to keep the duck’s blood cells healthy.

6. Mental Stimulation And Good Bonding

Feeding ducks cherries can focus on boosting mental stimulation along with good bonding between ducks and their owners. It’s especially true when the ducks are raised by hand.

Also, to see the natural foraging behavior, why don’t you just add some cherries as an occasional treat? Go for it!

7. Improved Feather Quality

Cherries can also be given to ducks for their healthy, shiny, and feather health in good condition. The existence of vitamin A, along with beta-carotene, works for it.

8. Blood Pressure Management

If you missed it, cherries have potassium, which controls blood pressure and reduces the possibility of heart disease. Additionally, it reduces hypertension. 

3 Potential Risks Of Feeding Cherries To Ducks

Ducks get multiple benefits when given cherries in moderation. But have you wondered if there are any potential risks to feeding these foods? Let’s bring you some possible negative facts about feeding cherries.

1. Amounts Of Cyanide Toxic Is A Culprit

The existence of cyanide compounds called cyanogenic glycosides in cherry pits and seeds is quite dangerous for birds. So, your ducks may even die if they consume cherry pits. Be careful!

2. Upset Digestion

Overfeeding on fruits or other nutritious treats has always been overrated! Ducks shouldn’t eat cherries too much, or it may cause obesity or inappropriate digestion that may cause diarrhea or vomiting.

3. Choking Hazard

Warning! Never feed seeds or pits of cherries! It will surely cause a choking hazard to ducks. So, we advise taking off the pits first.

Related Readings:

• Do Ducks Eat Dates
• Can You Feed Ducks Pomegranate
• Can Ducks Eat Apricots

How To Feed Cherries to Your Ducks?

This is to be said: cherries are on the acidic side. Therefore, you need to find a safe zone for feeding such fruits. Because sunlight or too much heat can ruin the vitamin components of cherries. Have a look at the next section!

4 Safe Feeding Ideas

We have plenty of ways to serve cherries to ducks. Among them, we include the best ideas.

1. Offering Fresh Cherries: The easiest way to feed cherries to ducks is by taking them from the bushes. It’s a great idea, especially during springtime, but ensure it’s fresh. However, you may take a look at the video!
2. Mix With Other Foods: To feed cherries to ducks, take a few pieces and add them to their regular balanced diet, but always use cherries as supplement treats.
3. Salad Is Nutritious: Adding cherries to fruit salad sounds good. Ducks prefer alkaline foods such as carrots, green beans, broccoli, and peas, which go well with cherries.
4. Smoothie With Cherry: How about offering smoothie bowls with cherries? Try this! Your duck will love it! But remove the pits first!

Check out this video to have a more clear understanding.

4 Steps Of Feeding Cherries To Ducks

Now, it’s in your hands to serve cherries in front of ducks. For this, we’ve got some standard feeding steps!

1. Wash the cherries in fresh water for five to ten minutes.
2. Remove the seeds, pits, stems, or leaves just before serving cherries.
3. Ensure you offer only a tiny amount of small cherry pieces to raise the duck.
4. Offering cherries in a container or tray is advisable.

How Often Do Ducks Eat Cherries?

In general, supplements or treats are given weekly or monthly. So, you can offer cherry pieces once or twice each month without any stones in the fruits.

How Many Cherries Can You Give To Ducks?

When giving cherries, 2 or 3 pieces are ideal for ducks’ health benefits. However, focus on their regular diet and give it to them occasionally.

Final Words

So, it’s clear whether ducks can eat cherries or not. Undoubtedly, ducks will eat cherries when there are no pits inside. They’re sensitive birds, so keep your eyes on them while choosing the right fruit. Cherries will nutrify the waterfowl’s health for sure, but in moderation to ensure keeping ducks healthy.

However, serve cherries the way we shared just besides their primary food source. As we included some tips along with the standard quantity of cherries, feeding will be easier next time. And remember, ducks welfare by providing proper nutrition is the first thing to keep in mind.