When your pet ducks roam your backyard, you may see them grazing on weeds every now and then. And after you weed out your garden, you may sometimes wonder if you can feed them to your ducks as a treat.
So, can ducks eat weeds? The answer is yes, and they should!
Here are six different backyard weeds that are not only safe for your ducks to eat, but they will find it a pleasant treat and even get some nutritional value out of it!
Clover
If you see your pet duck nibbling through the grass, there’s a good chance they’re looking for clovers. These three-leaved (or four-leaved if you’re lucky) plants grow in just about every backyard, and they’re full of nutrients that are excellent for your pet duck’s health.
All parts of the clover are safe to eat, whether they’re adult ducks or still-growing ducklings.
Clovers are a good source of phosphorus, protein, and calcium. These are particularly important if your ducks are laying eggs, as calcium can help form strong eggshells.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Clover?
While it is full of nutritional value, you should still feed your ducks clover in moderation. If you feed them too much, they might not want to eat their duck feed.
To prevent this, you can mix clovers into their feed. This can ensure that they get the nutrition they need while still enjoying the taste and health benefits of clovers.
Dandelion
Some people like dandelions in their yard, while others view them as a nuisance, just like any other weed. No matter how you feel about them, you can rest assured that these flowers are perfectly safe for your ducks to eat.
The stem, head, roots, leaves, and seeds are all completely edible and full of nutrients.
Like the clover, dandelions are high in calcium. They even contain vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, and much more.
When you feed this to your ducks, particularly younger ones, you should chop them and possibly even mash them up to prevent choking.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Dandelions?
Because they are big and dense in nutrients, you should feed these to your ducks sparingly. It’s best to give dandelions to your ducks no more than once a day.
Creeping Charlie
Also known as “ground ivy,” these plants will sprout up everywhere in the summer. After you pluck them out from the cracks of your pavement, you don’t need to throw them away—instead, you can feed them to your ducks.
These plants are incredibly high in vitamin C, which provides many benefits for your ducks’ health.
To prevent choking, cut up creeping charlie before feeding it to your ducks, especially if they are ducklings.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Creeping Charlie?
Because of their high vitamin C density, you will want to monitor how much they eat; too much of any vitamin can cause health issues. Give your ducks creeping charlie no more than a couple of times a week.
Wild Violets
These little purple flowers are simply beautiful, but if you plan to remove them from your yard or garden, you can safely feed them to your ducks. The stems and flowers of this plant are completely edible, but be careful with the roots, as they can cause vomiting.
Violets provide high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A. A handful of these chopped-up flowers can add some nutrients, flavor, and color to your duck’s feed.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Wild Violets?
You will want to monitor how often your duck eats these plants as too many can cause a laxative effect. Even when you consider their health benefits, it’s best to view these plants as a once-in-a-while treat, especially when you have ducklings.
Purslane
Characterized by its flat leaves and wine-colored stems, purslane plants will pop up all over your gardens and sidewalks during the summer. After you weed it out, you can chop it up and feed it to your ducks.
This weed is simply bursting with vitamins. Vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, iron, and calcium are among the many benefits this plant can offer your ducks. All parts of this plant are edible and full of these nutrients, and they are safe for ducks of all ages.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Purslane?
Because it is so dense in nutrients, you will want to give this treat to your ducks fairly often; just make sure it’s not in huge quantities. Remember, too much of any nutrient can be harmful. Try to give your ducks purslane no more than once per day.
Lamb’s Quarters
If you’ve got lamb’s quarters growing in your lawn or garden, you’ve got a good snack for your pet ducks. Rip them up in your ducks’ feed or give it to them whole, but as always, give smaller pieces to ducklings to prevent choking.
Some people will refer to this weed as “wild spinach.” Not only does it have a similar taste, but it’s full of nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and protein.
How Often Can Ducks Eat Lamb’s Quarters?
Like the other weeds on this list, give lamb’s quarters to your duck as a treat, not as a main source of food. You can also mix it into their duck feed for a little boost of nutrients. Try not to give it to them more than once per day.
How to Feed Your Ducks Weeds
Feeding weeds to your ducks can be as simple as letting them roam the yard and eat whatever they find. However, if you do this, make sure your yard is free of any potentially toxic plants.
Some people will set aside weeds while they are gardening and mix them into duck feed. If you have more than your ducks can eat at once, you can dry and store duck-friendly weeds. This will help them last longer and allow you to feed them healthy, natural treats even in the wintertime!
It’s always wise to chop up bigger weeds before feeding them to your ducks, especially if they’re younger. You should also avoid giving them weeds that you have sprayed with pesticides.
Giving Weeds to Ducklings
While many weeds are full of nutritional value, you must be careful when feeding them to ducklings.
You should not give too many weeds to ducks younger than three weeks old. Up until this age, they have very specific nutritional needs, and too many weeds can interfere with their development. Even after they reach three weeks, you should still only let them eat weeds in moderation.
Benefits of Feeding Your Ducks Weeds
Weeds are a natural way to boost your duck’s nutritional intake. They can also add a bit of variety to your duck’s diet, so they won’t get bored of eating the same duck feed every day.
Sometimes, you’re not sure what to do with the weeds you pull from your yard. Once you know which weeds are safe to feed to your ducks, you can cut down on waste and provide them with healthy and natural treats.
Conclusion
Overall, feeding weeds to your ducks is an excellent way to mix up their diet. Always be sure to give them these plants in moderation.
Make sure you know how to properly identify these weeds before feeding them to your ducks. This list is by no means complete; do plenty of research before feeding any unfamiliar plant to your duck.