Ducks are omnivores that consume a wide range of foods, including many insects. But do ducks eat worms?
The answer is yes! In fact, worms are an important nutrition source for many backyard flocks.
A duck can’t live on worms alone, of course; they need other things. However, as a supplemental treat, there are many benefits to including worms in duck diets.
What Kind Of Worms Can Ducks Eat?
Ducks can eat worms and enjoy all sorts of varieties including:
- Earthworms
- Red Worms
- Mealworms
- Nightcrawlers
- Wax Worms
- Calci Worms
- Blood Worms
Ducks will find these crawlers by foraging in the dirt near their favorite water source, but they also won’t reject a handout if you offer it. Most ducks consider worms a treat and will be happy to enjoy them.
Can Baby Ducks Eat Worms?
Ducklings have slightly different dietary requirements than their adult parents, and feeding them works a little differently. So, it’s important to know at what age ducks can eat worms.
For very young ducklings, worms may not be safe. They can present a choking hazard.
So when can ducks eat worms? At what age is it safe?
General knowledge states that baby ducks should be at least three weeks old before you allow them to enjoy worms and wigglers. At that point, they should be developed enough to avoid any choking hazards.
The Benefits of Mealworms
Mealworms are a fantastic source of protein for ducks. Each worm is 17-22% protein! And they’re naturally low in carbohydrates. So, they’re always a nutritious treat.
But do ducks like mealworms?
Typically yes, ducks tend to love mealworms, especially if they’re live. Ducks love foraging for live crawlers; it’s part of their natural instincts.
Of course, live mealworms as a supplemental food require some work on the owner’s part. You either have to make constant trips to the pet store or learn to farm mealworms yourself.
Farming mealworms isn’t difficult, but it still takes time and planning, which leads us to our next question:
Can Ducks Eat Dried Mealworms?
Yes, ducks can eat dried mealworms as a much more convenient protein-packed supplement. Dried mealworms are affordable and easy to source online. Ducks might not love them as much as the live variety, but they’ll still enjoy them.
The Benefits of Earthworms and Nightcrawlers
Earthworms and nightcrawlers are other common food sources for ducks to find while foraging. Of course, these creepy crawlies are also prone to carrying certain parasites, which leads some to ask, can ducks eat earthworms? Can ducks eat nightcrawlers? Or should you try to prevent it somehow?
The answer is that, yes, earthworms and nightcrawlers can carry certain parasites, but in general, they’re safe for ducks to eat. Both worm types are rich in protein as well as niacin. Niacin is a required nutrient for ducks to be healthy, as it helps them build and maintain strong bones.
Many duck owners use chicken feed for their ducks, which is mostly fine. But chicken’s require half the amount of niacin compared to ducks. So you’ll need to supplement niacin if you’re using chicken feed, and earthworms could be an effective piece of that supplementation plan.
The Benefits of Wax Worms
Many duck owners notice wax worms wiggling about their barnyard or pond, which leads them to ask, can ducks eat wax worms? The answer is yes; they can and probably should!
Waxworms are the larvae of the wax moth. Cream-colored and segmented, they sort of resemble maggots. But wax worms prefer to feast on discarded honeycomb over rotting meat, making them much more palatable for other creatures to eat.
Waxworms provide significant amounts of protein and calcium, both of which ducks need. Laying ducks, especially, need more protein and calcium, and feeding them wax worms is a great way to meet some of their extra nutritional demands.
The Benefits of Calci Worms
What about Calci worms? Can ducks eat calci worms? And are calci worms good for ducks, or should you stick to the other worms listed above?
Calci worms are named such because they’re a significant source of calcium for many animals, including birds like ducks. They also have a positive phosphorus to calcium ratio, which is vital for egg-laying fowl. Without the correct phosphorus to calcium ratio, a duck may lay soft eggs and are more prone to metabolic bone disease.
Calci worms are the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly and greatly resemble the typical maggots you’d find in decaying meats. Luckily, they’re available dried as well as fresh. So, if you’re squeamish, you can purchase them in dried form and avoid the squirming mess.
Are Calci Worms Better Than Mealworms?
Calci worms are obviously beneficial to ducks, but to say they’re better than mealworms would be a mistake. Mealworms are significantly higher in protein than Calci worms and far lower in fat.
However, Calci worms have forty times the amount of calcium than mealworms. That makes Calci worms especially beneficial for egg-laying birds.
To get the best of both Calci worms and mealworms, you can alternate which one you feed your ducks from season to season. Alternatively, you can purchase both in dried form and mix them.
When To Avoid Feeding Your Ducks Worms
Ducks love worms of all types, and it’s typically safe and often beneficial to feed your ducks worms as treats. However, that doesn’t mean every worm is safe for your duck to eat.
You shouldn’t let your ducks forage for worms or insects if you use snail bait or other insecticides on your land. If you’re using insecticides or snail baits, you can purchase worms from a pet store to feed your ducks or look into dried Calci or mealworms.
Final Thoughts
So, do ducks eat worms?
Yes! As an extra treat for ducks, worms are a fantastic choice. They can fill nutritional gaps by being significant sources of niacin, calcium, phosphorus, and protein, all of which are vital for healthy ducks.
So, the benefits of worms in duck diets are significant. Of course, ducks can’t live on worms alone, but they’ll be happier and healthier if you treat them to a few wigglers now and then.