Can Ducks Eat Rice? A Limited Serving Size!

Being a staple cereal for around 50% of the world’s population, rice can also be a diet part of ducks. But you’ll find multiple studies that ducks cannot consume rice and may encounter discomfort or even death in extreme cases. And it’s a myth!

So, can ducks eat rice? Yes, they’ll eat, but only a limited serving is safe. Waterfowl enjoy such human meals, cooked or uncooked. However, some experts discourage feeding raw forms due to arsenic poison. Where cooked rice is quite safe as an occasional treat! It’s cost-effective and nutritious!

Regular rice is not the only option in front of the duck. You’ll find many types and forms! Going through this article will give a clear understanding of such facts along with the good and bad of feeding rice.

Can Ducks Eat Rice? Myth You May Heard!

You may know ducks have an omnivore nature, so they won’t mind getting some rice in the ground. And when you give small doses of wild rice to ducks, they get some extra nutrition from it.

However, is rice safe for ducks to eat actually? Certainly, rice is safe for avians, but the uncooked form is a little bit tough for them. The reason is uncooked rice swells in the stomach and causes an uncomfortable situation.

But it’s an actual myth since it doesn’t have any proven results! Such myths were most probably valued during the 1980s. It claimed uncooked rice killed countless ducks when they swallowed some rice at weddings. The rumor was about an exploding stomach!

Anyway, before we encourage you to feed some rice to the ducks, let me tell you something! Based on ResearchGate studies, rice intake has water concentrations of arsenic poisoning. And the evidence they found is cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer due to high consumption.

So, your ducks may be at high risk if they consume excessively! And that’s why I said only a limited serving size is safe!

What Type Of Rice Ducks Can Eat? 11 Types And Forms Of Rice

Now, forget about the rumors online! Ducks actually eat a raw or cooked form of rice. And it’s guaranteed! While foraging, fowls just pick rice from the ground. But cooked forms seem more palatable, I guess!

However, you’ll find more types of rice to feed the ducks. Therefore, I am giving you a list of various forms and types of rice. Let’s see what’s more comfortable here!

1. Raw Or Uncooked Rice

The backyard friend or even the wild ducks slow down to eat raw or uncooked rice in the ground. It won’t kill your ducks! Don’t worry! 

Although feeding excessively may cause stomach aches, it’s not gonna hurt your duck! They’ll digest raw or uncooked rice safely. 

The ornithologists also said it’s safe for ducks to eat rice. According to IFLScience, the strong muscles and the grit in ducks’ gizzards help to grind up the foods they swallow. So, no problem with the uncooked rice!

But I suggest feeding the cooked form. It’s much easier for ducks or even chickens. Here is a video!

2. Crushed Or Uncrushed Rice 

Both of them are safe! Ducks have a strong digestive system, so grains like rice are good either crushed or uncrushed.

But the crushed forms are easier to swallow. Particularly helpful for baby ducks. So, if the duck is young, feed them the crushed form of rice. Or if they become adults, they can eat both safely. But according to an overprotective aviculturist, crushed forms are safer!

3. Brown Rice

Brown or wild rice is a great serving for ducks! Compared to others, it’s healthier. Let me tell you why. 

Brown rice has an outer bran layer where the grains have more essentials than regular white rice. Notably, the fiber intake is high in brown rice!

Wait! A problem is here. Based on FDA research, arsenic is found in brown or white rice. And you’ll more likely find it in brown rice due to the accumulation of bran.

So, just be careful while feeding it. Giving in moderation is good, I guess.

4. Arborio Rice

Ducks can eat almost every type of rice but when given only a small quantity. So, they’ll eat Italian arborio rice as well. As it’s short-grain rice, they’ll eat it comfortably. Ducks are even safe with medium-grain or long-grain rice like jasmine rice as well.

5. Basmati Rice

Whether it’s a duck, Goose, or chicken, they’ll eat basmati rice cheerfully. Just throw some rice grains in the ground and see what happens.

You won’t find a single grain in the field! As we know, they are voracious eaters with omnivore nature.

5. Sticky Rice

Not good for the backyard companion! Sticky rice is glutinous, which has a high level of starch compared to other grains of rice. So, your duck may face difficulties while digesting. Particularly, I see them facing:

• Discomfort
• Bloating.

Still, if you provide some sticky rice, please offer only a small quantity!

6. Rice Flour

I think, no! Domesticated ducks or even wild ducks can eat grains. But you’ll have to go through some precautions while feeding. Sadly, they won’t get the same benefit from eating raw grains.

And you may know human foods are not a good pick for waterfowl. However, you may hear the same advice from the wildlife authorities or avian experts. They will even suggest avoiding bread for ducks.

7. Rice Crackers

Rice products are not a safe thing for backyard ducks. Whether it’s the mallard, muscovy, or Pekin, they should avoid junk foods like crackers.

Your ducks are not gonna have any notable health benefits. So, what’s the reason for feeding such unhealthy treats? It will only push your duck to encounter malnutrition or deformities.

In particular, crackers have high salt or sodium intake, which is the reason for dehydration in ducks. So, avoid it!

8. Rice Krispies

Fowls are good with bland cereals that have no high sugar intake. So, I think you should avoid Rice Krispies as it contains unhealthy ingredients for ducks. Also, the products don’t have any notable health benefits for ducks.

9. Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are not okay either. It may contain other ingredients such as sugar, fructose salt, or flavors.

10. Rice Bran

Rice bran’s contribution to poultry feed is quite massive. According to Cambridge University Press, for domestic fowl or ducklings, around 10% of brown rice is used as animal feed. 

And birds can take the level of rice bran. So, feeding rice bran won’t be bad for your backyard friend.

11. Rice Bubbles

Just overlook it! They don’t need high-sugar processed cereals like rice bubbles. Another big problem here is flavors, which are totally unsafe for the avians.

Suggested Readings:

• Oats for Ducks
• Lentils in Duck’s Diet
• Do Ducks Eat Quinoa

Feeding Baby Ducks: Can Ducklings Eat Rice?

Please, at least wait for sixteen weeks to feed rice to baby ducks. Rice has moisture-absorbing properties that can cause health difficulties. Although young ducks eat rice, I am thinking about their safety first.

During a young age, they mainly need non-medicated started feed. But when they meet the age I am suggesting, they’ll be safe for sure.

And my preference is to feed the cooked rice since uncooked can be tough to digest. Or it’s much better if you avoid rice and give the started feed, chopped greens, small insects, safe grains, or small fish.

Know The Nutritional Valuables In Rice: USDA-Based Food Data

You will feed rice to ducks, but what are the nutrients your duck will get? Have a look at the table and you’ll get to know the nutritional properties of rice 100 per gram.

How Feeding Rice Benefits The Ducks Health

Although the primary sources contribute to the duck’s health most, rice can take part as a treat. Let’s see how your ducks get some benefit from eating rice.

• High Carbohydrates: Carbs in rice can play an important role as an energy source. You may not know that rice has around 75% of carbs, which helps to make the duck swim, fly, and forage. Specifically, it’s beneficial during the summer and winter.
• Protein Intake: Ducks don’t require protein, they need amino acids existing in dietary proteins. For muscle building and making the feather condition good, protein is a great source. I even found an improvement in egg production.

What it does is produce enzymes and hormones in the body. And feeding rice can give around 10 to 15% of protein to ducks’ health. Actually, 

• Low Fat Amount: Ducks usually get fat so fast as they are aggressive eaters in the wild or yard. And here ducks have low fat, which is good for ducks’ health. 

Based on KenanaOnline research, Rice bran has an insignificant impact on the duck’s body weight change and the mortality rate of ducks from 26-41 weeks.

• Essential Fiber: Constipation and diarrhea is a common sickness of ducks. But rice has fiber intake that helps the ducks to avoid such sicknesses. What happens is it regulates the water in the intestines. 
• Vitamins And Minerals: You cannot avoid the presence of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, choline, and niacin. They will maintain the duck’s overall health, notably the digestive, reproductive, and respiratory.

Should We Overlook The Potential Risks? No!

The backyard friend is good with rice, but some facts may upset the duck. Therefore, be concerned while giving rice to the ground.

• Arsenic Is There: Rice has arsenic, as we said earlier. It comes from soil, and if ducks consume rice with arsenic, it will make them sick.
• Pesticides Possibility: Pesticides may be used in rice crops during cultivation time. We use it to control diseases or pests. So, if ducks eat rice with such components, their health won’t be good.
• Presence Of Mycotoxin: There is a fungal contamination in rice called mycotoxin. It causes moldy rice, which is unsafe for your duck’s health.
• Risks Of Suffocation: Your ducks mostly face the choking hazard or suffocation problem. It is the same case when they eat raw, uncooked rice. Therefore, I would say to feed only the soft cooked form.

However, if you think rice seems unsafe, feed some oats to ducks. It would be no less good than rice.

How Can You Feed Rice To Ducks? Preparations!

What do you prefer? Do you wanna feed uncooked or cooked rice? If so, my suggestions will bring something new. But they’ll be an easy-going process.

Preparing Time

If you cooked some for yourself in the house, give the leftovers to the ducks. But not the moldy form, fried form, and the rice with flavors!

However, some tips can make everything much better. They are:

• Bring cold water to rinse the rice.
• Use a pot to add the rice with a 2:1 water ratio to the rice.
• Boil the water, cover the pot with rice, and spend 18 to 20 minutes.
• Now, fluff the rice and make it cool at room temperature just before feeding.

How Much To Offer

Whether you give cooked or uncooked rice, please give only a small amount, around 2 ounces. You may scatter rice on the ground but don’t give it into the water. 

5 Feeding Tips

Now, it’s feeding time! Dear duck lover, as you have leftover cooked rice in the kitchen, feed it to your quacking friend. They’ll have something new today!

1. Safe Rice Type: While feeding, ensure it’s properly washed before cooking. It’s safer when you feed the cooked form.
2. Cook The Rice: Rice should be in plain and cooked form. Cook until it’s soft, and avoid adding any flavor or additives like salt, sugar, seasonings, or spices.
3. Select The Feeding Location: I find the comfy places are ponds, lakes, or rivers. They can easily access food as well as water. But please don’t let the ducks overcrowd that place.
4. Observe How They Eat: You’ll have to monitor the ducks eating time. But be an observer from the distance since ducks get scared and stop eating.
5. A Small Quantity: Please, overfeeding the rice is quite risky for them. Only a small quantity is safe!

Recommended Article: Grains in Duck’s Diet

Summary of the Study

In conclusion, ducks can eat raw or cooked rice when given occasionally. But a tiny quantity is what I would suggest! And it’s even wiser if you give priority to their primary food sources rather than side meals or treats like rice.

But for feeding rice, avoid rice products or processed rice foods. Since they have harmful ingredients, so, share some fresh rice, not more than 2 ounces, as the potential risks cannot be overlooked.

Sources And References:

• https://www.iflscience.com/a-scientist-tested-whether-birds-explode-when-you-feed-them-rice-67507
• https://www.fda.gov/files/food/published/Arsenic-in-Rice-and-Rice-Products-Risk-Assessment-Report-PDF.pdf
• https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-s-poultry-science-journal/article/abs/utilization-of-rice-bran-in-diets-for-domestic-fowl-and-ducklings/82F58860888F8039FC75E31717A4E915#
• https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/programs/duck-research-lab/duck-nutrition