There is nothing more refreshing than eating a ripe banana. And if you have ducks, you might wonder, “Can ducks eat bananas as treats?” They are healthy for us, and wouldn’t it be great to feed some to our feathered friends? There is nothing better than sharing good foods with them and seeing their happy faces. So let’s see if bananas are a safe treat for them.
What Do Ducks Eat Naturally?
Wild ducks spend most of their time eating aquatic plants, grains, grass, and small invertebrates. Occasionally, they will come ashore and forage small amounts of fruits and vegetables. But our ducks are domesticated and eat a variety of food. And fruits are the perfect healthy treats for your ducks.
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Can You Feed Bananas To Ducks?
Can ducks eat bananas as treats? The short answer is that your ducks will love a banana treat in small quantities. They aren’t great for daily consumption. However, if you wanted to give your flock a special treat, nothing is stopping you. In fact, bananas contain many the same benefits for your ducks as they do for you. Let’s look at a few of them.
Antioxidants
The best part of feeding bananas to your ducks is the antioxidants. These superfoods keep your ducks healthy and strong. And if you want the most antioxidants, unripe green bananas are the best. The greener the banana, the more antioxidants are in them. Just remember to mash these bananas before feeding to make them easier to eat.
Vitamin C
Another vitamin that your ducks need for a healthy immune system is C. Bananas have plenty of vitamin C in them. And if your ducks are feeling down, you can give them a nice boost to help them recover. It can also be a perfect treat to perk up a duck that isn’t eating. The extra calories will give them energy, and the vitamin C will help their bodies heal.
Phosphorus
Calcium absorption is very important for laying ducks. But giving your ducks access to crushed oyster shells isn’t all they need. They also need phosphorus to help bind the calcium to their bones. So for solid bones, bananas are perfect.
Fiber
An obvious benefit of bananas is that they are packed with fiber. This keeps your ducks full, has regular bowel movements, and helps increase the absorption of vitamins. So giving your ducks fruits and vegetables will keep your ducks feeling great all around.
Vitamin B6
While the internet may love fat animals, we don’t want our birds to be obese. To prevent that, your waterfowl need plenty of vitamin B6 to keep up with cell production and metabolism. With bananas, they will get a healthy dose of B6. And when you combine it with exercise and swimming, your ducks will look and feel great.
Potassium
Bananas are famous for being high in potassium. This helps with muscle cramps and development. And it can also help keep your ducks hydrated with natural electrolytes. So in the hottest time of summer, frozen bananas could be a perfect treat to keep your ducks cool.
Vitamin A
Your ducks need vitamin A for almost everything. Feather development, muscle gain, immunities, and blood production all ride on how much vitamin A they get. And while your duck’s food is fortified with vitamin A, a little extra won’t hurt anything. And bananas are a great source for this and so much more.
Vitamin B12
In the first year of life, your ducks go through a lot of change and growth. And once they start laying eggs, your ducks will need more support. What better way to do this than to give your ducks a healthy boost of B12 in bananas? It’s a treat, and they don’t even know of the great benefits it has.
Magnesium
And if you have baby ducks, the best benefit of bananas is magnesium. Your ducklings need lots of magnesium in their first few months of life. Otherwise, your ducklings won’t gain weight and will have stunted growth. Your starter feed will have plenty of magnesium to support this. But your ducklings can’t have too much of this good thing.
How To Feed Ducks Bananas
Feeding bananas to ducks is quite simple. All you need to do is cut the bananas up into bite-sized chunks, and you are golden. Since bananas are very soft, they don’t need any other prework or cooking. Although, if you choose to feed green bananas, you might want to mash them to make them a little more palatable.
If you want to give your ducks a fun treat, you could freeze banana slices. These smaller pieces float well and can go right in the water dish. So your ducks can go bobbing for bananas on a hot summer’s day. And they will have a blast doing it.
The only caution you should take with bananas is not feeding them in large quantities. Bananas have a lot of sugars, and that’s hard for your ducks to digest. For that reason, you should only feed bananas every two weeks. And they don’t get much. One banana is enough to provide a small flock of six ducks with a tasty snack.
Do Ducks Eat Banana Peel?
Banana peels contain just as many vitamins and nutrients as the fruit inside. And it’s not out of the ordinary for ducks to love peels just as much as the fruit. But you will need to take some precautions with this since the peels are much harder to eat.
If your banana peels are still green or stiff, you might consider boiling them first. Softening them with boiling will prevent impacted crops. You will also need to cut the peels into small pieces. Some duck owners find it works best to blend the banana and peel together for easier eating.
Can Ducklings Eat Bananas?
Can ducks eat bananas as treats? Of course, adult ducks can. But what about their babies? Bananas are great treats for small ducklings. Since this fruit is so tender and easily mashed, even the smallest ducks can eat it. But we recommend waiting until your duckling is a few weeks old before introducing it.
The reason you will want to wait is to prevent your ducklings from filling up on natural sugars. Bananas are a very calorie-dense treat that can quickly fill your ducklings for the whole day. And if your ducklings get too much of this, they quickly become malnourished and lacking other essential nutrients.
So only give a tablespoon of mashed banana once every few weeks as an occasional treat. You will also need to stay away from banana peels until they have started eating grit. And even with grit, you will still need to blend the peels to make them more digestible.
At What Age Do Ducklings Need Grit?
Your ducklings will be three weeks old before they start getting grit. Before this time, digesting treats and fibrous foods is difficult to digest. That is why ripe mashed bananas are the perfect beginner treats for ducklings.
Can You Feed Ducks Banana Chips?
Dried fruits are a tasty snack for people. But banana chips that we get from the store are not as wholesome as you might think. These banana chips are often coated in sugar to taste better. And as you can guess, this extra sugar isn’t healthy for your ducks. However, if you can make your own banana chips, your ducks will love it.
And to make these snacks is very easy. All you need is two bananas and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Cut your bananas into rounds and toss them into the lemon juice to prevent browning. Then spread them out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and cook at 225 degrees for 90 minutes. Turn and finish cooking in 30-minute increments until completely dried.
Can Ducks Eat Bread?
Pieces of bread, and similar bread-type products, are not ok for ducks. Not only does bread expand in your duck’s stomachs, but the sugar isn’t good for them either. And while banana bread might seem like a delicious treat, you shouldn’t feed it to your ducks.
What Should You Not Feed Ducks?
It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with a list of dangerous things for ducks to eat. Here are a few things to watch out for when feeding your flock treats:
- Citrus fruits
- Bread
- Uncooked rice and pasta
- Junk food
- Fried foods
- Sugary foods
- Iceberg lettuce
- Nightshade plants
- Dried beans
- And moldy/rotten food
All of the foods on this list can cause anything from upset stomachs and malnourishment to nerve and heart damage. So it’s best to stay away from all of these foods. And should your ducks accidentally eat any of these, keep a close eye on them for 24 hours to make sure they are ok.
Final Words
Can ducks eat bananas as treats? You bet they can. And it can be a great way to bond with your ducks. So share some of your bananas with your duckies and see them wiggle with delight.
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