Do Ducks Eat Flies? Yes, All 4 Types are Good to Consume!

Do ducks eat flies? Definitely, ducks eat flies but as an opportunist. Although ducks won’t get any surprising health benefits, eating flies can control the fly infestation. However, you need to deal with flies by following multiple ideas like using intense scent, fly trap, fly attractant, fly bait, or more.

To give you more about controlling flies near the duck’s coop, go a little further. I am not done yet! Soon, you’ll get some surprising facts!

Do Ducks Eat Flies? Flies Get Attracted!

Ducks are omnivores and opportunist avians. So, they don’t prefer to leave any insects that move here and there. Well, you can say it is an attraction! Livestock not only attracts flies but also rodents or other small creatures in the garden to get food sources.

Flies love manure, leftover food, or rotten foods the most! And they have it near the coop and breed so fast. And here, the maggots are typically born. But your backyard ducks are going to eat maggots as well.

Actually, ducks don’t attract flies. Rather it’s the environment that calls the insects like flies. Whether ducks like mallards or muscovy, geese or chickens, flies will get attracted. Surprisingly ducks gonna keep the pest control in the garden as well. Here is a video you can watch!

Usually, you’ll see drowned flies, stable flies, blow flies, housefly maggots, fruit flies that get attracted to fruits, spilled fizzy drinks, or alcohol. However, I suggest following some ideas to remove such insects from the coop area of ducks.

Cycle And Types Of Flies: Do Ducks Eat All 4 Of Them?

Ducks have wildness in them along with voraciousness while eating anything. Besides, you’ll see them foraging for food sources. So, whether it’s the fly eggs, larvae, maggots, pupal, or adult-stage flies, ducks are going to eat all of it anyway.

But they don’t intentionally look for flies. They require a balanced diet or primary food sources. 

However, the business is to talk about forms and types of flies for ducks. Let me talk about it in detail.

1. Fly Larvae

Ducks are going to eat it! But be careful that ducks are not getting it from any contaminated environment. It’s because of bacterial poisoning or pathogens. According to USDA Research, house flies transmit salmonella in flocks and reduce the egg market value.

The surprising fact is that more than 100 pathogens exist in insects that we feed ducks. Such as:

1. Bacteria
2. Fungi
3. Viruses
4. Parasites like protozoans along with metazoans.

Unfortunately, they are gonna hurt the flock of ducks.

2. Dragonflies

Ducks look for protein sources so they’ll have it from dragonflies for free. But it’s not their regular food source. However, transforming from aquatic larvae to aerial insects, dragonflies get eaten by ducks.

3. Black Soldier Flies

Certainly! Black flies and their larvae are both good occasional treats for ducks. Here, ducks will have some nutrients like protein and fat. You can also give it for monogastric feeding of muscovy ducks.

4. Maggots

Maggots are larvae form of different flies so ducks will eat them too. While getting some, ducks consume protein and fat to have a boost in their health. Besides, they keep the fly environment good in the yard.

Related Readings:

• Can Ducks Eat Worms
• Do Ducks Eat Mosquitoes
• Ants As Ducks Diet
• Ticks Diet and Beneficial Facts

Baby Ducks In Yard: Do Ducklings Eat Flies?

If ducklings can catch, they’ll eat flies. But I discovered they love having worms the most. So, maggots can be an enjoyable treat for them.

But be a little careful about toxicity. Ducklings cannot be okay with pesticides or contaminants. If you ask me, I’ll give starter feed only at a young age. According to Islandseed, you should give 21% to 22% protein chick starters and niacin supplements to your ducks until 2 weeks.

I don’t think you need to take such a hassle to feed some flies for protein.

Is There Any Nutrition In Flies For Ducks? 3 Essential Nutrients!

Flies are okay as a natural diet of ducks. But I don’t think any notable benefits are there while feeding flies to ducks. However, some of the benefits I cannot avoid.

1. Protein Intake: Flies are rich in protein, so if ducks swallow some flies in the backyard, you’ll notice benefits such as:
   • Overall growth
   • Healthy feathers are necessary for insulation and waterproofing.
2. Better Digestion: Eating some flies can keep digestion healthy because flies have enzymes that break down the complex nutrients in ducks’ diet.
3. Ducks Get Energy Boost: A small amount of fat and carbohydrates provide energy to your ducks. So, it’s okay if ducks get some from the yard.

Can You Feed Flies To Ducks? 3 Necessary Tips

As I said, it’s a natural diet, so I don’t think you need to feed such insects. But still, if you prefer to feed, you need to follow the given ideas.

1. Fresh Source: Although the majority of flies are available in dirty places, you need to find a non-toxic environment. As flies are exposed to pesticides or contaminants.
2. Live Flies: Offering live flies is the best, but giving the pre-killed flies won’t be any problem for ducks.
3. Buy or Catch: Either you buy from insect suppliers or use fly traps to catch flies to feed your ducks.

How To Control Flies In Duck Coop? 10 Ideas You Can Follow!

Farmers or owners seem to hate to see flies near the duck’s coop. It’s when the population gets out of control! In fact, ducks hate to see, so they just consume it! 

However, I thought to come up with some ideas to control flies in the garden or yard.

1. Sanitizing: To keep the flies away, sanitize the coop area, clean any rotten or decaying matters, and remove the droppings and wet bedding.
2. Cleaning Manure: It’s a never-ending job and regular duty to clean the duck’s poop. It’s what attracts the flies most! The wet environment with manure or moldy or spoiled food helps the ducks to breed.

So, don’t wait to clean the poops weekly! Clean it every day or your ducks gonna have disturbance due to excessive flies near the coop.

3. Composting Manure: Farmers use composting manure to kill and control the fly’s environment. But it doesn’t carry that value.
4. Ducks Can Control Insects: Ducks like muscovy ducks can also control the insect population in the backyard. Nowadays, people have started to consider them workers who help to control pests.

An experiment says ducks have reduced the fly population by 80% to 90%. Also, Oxford Academic says that muscovy ducks have reduced around 96.8% of house flies, whereas the maggot population was reduced to around 98.7%. So, it’s a big contribution!

5. Insecticides: You may use insecticides or pesticides, which are chemicals used to control insects in the garden or yard.
6. Fly Trap: Another effective idea is to use portable or indoor fly traps to catch and kill flies to control the environment. Here we use bait to attract the flies near the trap. But don’t give it near the open window.
7. Fly Attractant: Flies get attracted to sweet things like honey, fruits, or syrups. So, add these things to the garden and use the fly trap nearby to catch flies.
8. Use Bedding: You can use bedding like wood or straw shavings to absorb moisture and reduce the smell. As you know, flies get attracted to dampness!
9. Net or Screen: I found using nets or screens on the window can block the flies from entering the ducks or chickens’ coop. But ensure the proper ventilation is there!
10. Diatomaceous Earth: For controlling pests or insects like flies, you can use Diatomaceous Earth. It will also keep the duck’s exoskeletons safe from damage. Use near the areas where flies exist.

Special Consideration: 5 Herbs As Insect Repellent To Controlling Flies!

You may not know that herbs or some intense aroma plants can be an enemy of pests or insects like flies. If you grow some herbs or garden plants, insects, bugs, and pests will run away. 

Besides, ducks can eat some herbs as an occasional treat. It gives a soothing feel when they consume some fresh leaves. I would say plant some herbs like:

1. Thyme
2. Basil
3. Mint
4. Oregano
5. Lavender.

Special Note: Chrysanthemum is another plant that contains pyrethrin, which is a natural insecticide to kill or remove insects like flies.

Recommended Reading: Insects Diet for Ducks

Bottom Line: Do Ducks Eat Flies?

Ducks do eat flies, but I won’t feed them. Rather, I prefer to leave them to eat flies independently. It’s okay if ducks consume some flies or maggots. They don’t carry any deadly toxicity. Even the baby ducks won’t mind having some flies in their dinner.

However, give maggots to your baby ducks. It’s a free protein source for them. But the significantly excessive fly in the garden or yard is quite disturbing. So, you must pay attention to removing such insects.

Sources And References:

• https://islandseed.com/poultry/care-and-feeding-of-ducklings/
• https://academic.oup.com/jee/article-abstract/86/6/1686/2216130?redirectedFrom=fulltext
• https://www.epa.gov/caddis-vol2/insecticides