What Do Baby Ducks Eat? – Ideal Diet For Ducklings

Baby ducks are sensitive and require the right food to have a balanced diet to grow. Have you decided to raise baby ducks in the backyard? If so, be ready to be a little busy. Especially in the case of feeding!

But what do baby ducks eat? At an early age, baby ducks should take the starter feed. Besides, their small bill will be able to digest chopped greens, insects, grains, tiny aquatic plants, and small pieces of fruits and vegetables as a healthy treat. And remember, they require protein and niacin the most, at least for four to six weeks!

Anyway! I’m also going to respond to the diet difference of ducks, like when ducks hatch, when in an emergency, or also about the wild ones. You’ll find it interesting! Have a look!

What Do Baby Ducks Eat? 

Baby ducks eat a lot of things. And we are going to talk about all of them. However, there are things you must hear first.

Things You Must Hear First!

Before we start talking about baby ducks’ eating habits, I prefer to say what they need at a young age. According to the NC State Poultry Extension, your baby ducks or ducklings must need the starter feed after hatching to 2 weeks of age.

Young ducks should eat starter feed as crumbles and as ⅛” (3.18 mm) diameter pellets. Right after 2 weeks, include the grower diet as 3/16”(4.76 mm) diameter pellets.

Besides that, Baby ducks require protein and niacin the most. According to ScienceDirect, including diets with niacin helps rapid growth of approximately 25 mg/kg.

But the National Research Council says it should be 55 mg/kg. When they start growing or during the third to twelfth week, switch to grower feed with 16% to 18% protein level. So, before you feed your ducks, prioritize choosing foods with high protein and niacin.

Please avoid the non-medicated starter feed since it contains amprolium, a thiamine blocker that causes insufficiency. It can eventually affect digestion, neurons, the heart, or even muscle problems.

14 Foods To Feed Newborn Ducks

The newborn ducks or ducklings in the yard need some extra care. While raising, you must focus on the feeding habit. But newborn avians are quite sensitive, as I said. So think about feeding healthy.

Although you have multiple things to feed your ducks or ducklings, I noted the safest ones that ducklings will like most! It’s mandatory when the baby ducks don’t find their mother right after hatching.

Just before that, prioritize some facts to properly care for and grow the ducklings. For example, you need:

• Brooder
• Heat lamp
• Thermometer
• A shallow bowl for water and food
• Chick grit.

If you have all these things, you can focus on feeding them. Here are the best foods you can feed your newborn ducks.

1. Starter Feed:

Starter feed is the first priority for newborn ducks. For the rapid growth of ducklings, they need protein and niacin within one and half days of hatching.

You’ll need starter crumbs for the first 2 weeks, and if you manage a 5 kg bag, it will be enough for 10 to 15 ducklings. And remember, it must be unmedicated chick feed. And you can stay with the same diet for four to six weeks besides the other diets.

2. Fresh Water:

To digest food and to have proper hydration, baby ducks must need fresh water as their primary food. Also, drinking some water softens the food.
Other than that, It’s a survivor for newborn ducks! So, set a water bowl that is wide and deep.

3. Small Aquatic Vegetation:

Another diet option for the ducklings! Aquatic vegetation offers good nutrition from ponds or wetlands.

Especially in the wild, baby ducks will surely have some boost from plants like:

• Algae
• Water lettuce
• Water hyacinth
• Duckweed
• Pondweed
• Untreated grass and weeds.

 Such aquatic plants also encourage their natural foraging behavior.

4. Herbs:

Don’t avoid your baby ducks eating some herbs with their mother. Let the little champ get some soothing feel. Just be sure to chop them to make them edible size. No adult food is suggested, but they can try some herbaceous plants like:

• Parsley
• Basil
• Mint
• Cilantro
• Dill.

5. Small Fish:

Tiny fish can be another protein and fat source for baby ducks. They can eat fish such as:

• Minnows
• Guppies
• Goldfish
• Mosquito Fish.

6. Worms And Insects:

You may not know that newborn ducks just love to have some worms and insects. They are free protein sources, so you can give some earthworms or dried mealworms to them. But of course, occasionally!

Ducklings also prefer to eat small insects and bugs. I see them catching small invertebrates like

• Snails
• Slugs
• Ants
• Crickets
• Fly or black soldier fly larvae (Maggots are safe)
• Spiders
• Beetles.

Such baby ducks, after getting matured, make a big difference by working in the garden to control pests, insects, snails, or bugs. Particularly the flocks of worker ducks. Here is a video of it!

7. Chopped Vegetables:

When you chop vegetables into manageable sizes, ducklings or baby chickens become comfortable while they eat. To have some essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for proper digestion, veggies are something special to pick for them.

My suggestion is to feed vegetables, such as

• Lettuce
• Kale
• Spinach
• Zucchini
• Corn
• Carrots
• Cucumber.

But always chopped and cutting is a must! And, give such fresh vegetables as an occasional treat.

8. Sliced Fruits:

Fruits are a great idea to nourish the duck’s health. Provide some sliced fruits as a healthy treat, and see how they grow! My preference is:

• Apples (Mashed)
• Bananas (Mashed)
• Peaches
• Cherries (Seedless)
• Berries
• Watermelons
• Plums
• Pears.

But please avoid citrus fruits like orange, lemon, or grapefruit. They have acids and will surely make your ducks struggle for a living.

9. Seeds And Grains:

Small-sized seeds are good for offering some nutrients. I found the safest seeds are:

• Sunflower seed
• Pumpkin seed
• Watermelon seed
• Strawberry seed
• Chia seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Flax seeds.

Although people thought seeds might cause choking hazards, the seeds I mentioned are safe for baby ducks. They can consume and digest without hassle!

10. Grains:

You are also safe to feed some grains to your young ducks. They may like:

• Rice
• Quinoa
• Wheat
• Oat
• Millet
• Barley.

All of them are safe when fed in moderation. But don’t feed these separately, at least for two weeks. Starter feeds are their first-week meal.

11. Crustaceans:

After crossing the first two weeks, baby ducks become more active in trying new food sources. So, crustaceans like small shrimp and minced crab can be introduced to baby ducks’ diet. 

They’ll get some protein from it. But it’s only good when you cook it without flavor or seasonings.

12. Hard Boiled Eggs:

Boiled eggs are a nutrition provider, so baby ducks will get the same. In particular, they get protein and minerals the most.

13. Amphibians:

Baby ducks look innocent but can even try eating frogs. If they cannot, they’ll surely consume the tadpoles and froglets. It gives them protein.

14. Commercial Feed:

For commercial purposes, feed your ducks a well-balanced commercial feed to grow faster. Such kind of foods ensures rapid growth of their muscle, bone feather, and overall health. Plus, your ducks are going to give more meat and eggs when they are adults.

5 Foods Baby Ducks Eat In The Wild

Baby ducks usually get the most insects, plants, and worms in the wild. Although they require starter feed, it’s in the wild, so they get their natural food sources. From my research point of view, wild ducks usually eat foods like:

1. Aquatic insects (Worms, larvae, fly nymphs, beetles)
2. Aquatic Plants (Duckweed, water hyacinth, algae, sedges, watercress)
3. Invertebrates (Insects, snails, earthworms, crickets, grubs)
4. Seeds and Grains (Millet, sunflower seeds, flaxseed,  wheat, cracked corn)
5. Plankton (Phytoplankton, zooplankton, rotifer)

Remember, they are wild ducklings, so they’ll try to consume almost anything that comes across. But they shouldn’t because they have the same digestive system as the domesticated ones.

5 Food to Feed Baby Ducks In An Emergency

This is unfortunate when you miss feeding the started feed to your baby ducks. But it’s okay! If you’re in an emergency, immediately give some water and hard-boiled mashed eggs. Besides, you can offer:

1. Mashed cat or dog food
2. Boiled rice or oatmeal
3. Worms (If available)
4. Chopped greens
5. Sliced fruits.

If you can access the veterinarian’s number easily, call them and get advice for emergency feeding newborn ducks.

Baby Ducks Daily Need Of Nutrition Table

In general, ducklings require a balanced diet from the day they are born. But do you know the exact nutrition needs? According to Metzer Farms, newborn ducklings, to adult ones, need metabolizable energy the most. Besides the other nutrient amounts are given below.

How To Feed Baby Ducks: 8 Tips You Must Follow

Here comes the most awaited part for every duck owner. You’ve heard about the right foods for baby ducks. Now, it’s time to feed them properly.

How Much To Feed

Based on the duckling’s age, size, and type, here is a guideline I found ideal.

How Often To Feed Ducklings

So, you got the ideal amount, but how often do you feed? Here is a table with a clear idea that won’t hurt your ducks but will help them to grow faster.

8 Feeding Tips for Baby Ducks

While feeding baby ducks, you must be extra careful. They need high nutrition, so I made a general rule of thumb. I hope it’ll also work out if you raise your flock of ducks.

1. Starter: Start with a commercial starter baby duck feed.
2. Frequent Feeding: Feed your ducks frequently
3. Small Quantity: Baby ducks need a small amount of food. So, give a small portion but several times a day.
4. Water Is Beyond Everything: Always keep water beside the duckling’s daily diet.
5. Supplementary Food: Include supplementary foods like veggies, fruits, insects, and other protein sources.
6. Dish Or Container: Always give the food in a small dish or shallow container.
7. Observe And Monitor: Monitor how much they eat and ensure they don’t consume excessively just by escaping your attention.
8. Gradually Diet Changing: When you change the diet, do it gradually. They need time to be friendly with new food.

Recommended Reading:

• Ducks Natural Diet – What To Feed Ducks
• What can Ducks Eat In The Water
• What Not Feed Your Ducks

Wrapping Up

When talking about adult ducks, you have numerous food sources. But for the baby ducks, be a little picky. Don’t show love by feeding wrong! They don’t like to deny and won’t even know about the health issues. So, it’s your responsibility to know, “What do baby ducks eat.” The list of 14 foods I talked about is the safest and healthiest. So, you can follow the list and then go for the feeding tips.

But be sure you provide starter feed for the first two weeks and then gradually change your diet. It’s the ideal way that every researcher and expert veterinarian says.

Sources And References:

• https://poultry.ces.ncsu.edu/backyard-flocks-eggs/other-fowl/feeding-ducks/
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257911946327X?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7fb2e0fbeb23bc2d