Did you know that the rice is the staple food in many cousins around the word? Actually it is a staple food for more than 50% of the world’s population. But, can ducks eat rice?
We have seen a lot of myths out there that claim that ducks cannot eat rice. Guess what? This information is wrong.
While ducks shouldn’t necessarily be overindulging in rice, this is the same for any foods that you feed them, but the rice should be packed to the brim with nutrients that could be great for your animals. Let’s look.
Can Ducks Eat Rice?
Yes, ducks can eat rice, and it would be good to introduce to their diet. They love it. In fact, in the wild, ducks will often eat a lot of wild rice.
This is because it is rich in all sorts of nutrients that the duck needs. It tends to be pretty simple to get hold of too.
A lot of people seem to believe that if you give your ducks rice, it will expand in their stomachs. There is absolutely no evidence that this happens to any bird.
It seems to be a myth, and it is a myth that only started to appear within the last fifty years.
The truth is that if you give your ducks some rice, they will be enjoying fiber and a small amount of protein in their diet.
Rice also tends to be packed to the brim with vitamins and nutrients that your ducks can find beneficial.
Is Rice Bad For Ducks to Eat? – Few Things to Bear in Mind
We wanted to point out here that even though ducks can eat rice, it can make the duck’s poop dryer and harder.
Rice can make a duck to become constipated. But this is nothing to worry about. Same will happen if ducks eat bananas or other diary products.
That is why it is very important to limit this treats in their diet.
Once you stop feeding your ducks with these foods, their poop will go normal again.
The opposite will happen if you feed your ducks with fruits. For example, ducks can eat apples but their poop will be waterier then usually.
Finally, we want to point out that it is important to not give rice to ducklings before they are 4 weeks old.
How to Feed Rice to Your Ducks
Ducks can eat both cooked and uncooked rice. If possible, try to ensure that it is cooked.
Ducks will find it a little bit easier to digest. Although, do bear in mind that cooked rice will rot very quickly. If your duck does not eat the rice within a few hours, then remove it from their food area.
It will attract pests, and it may even become dangerous for your duck to eat.
Ducks can eat all types of rice. However, even though the white rice is more common, the brown rice is going to be a lot healthier for them than white rice. This means that you should always be giving them brown rice.
The one thing that we do suggest is that you do not feed too much rice to your ducks. As brilliant as it is for your ducks to eat, it is high in calories and can really fill them up.
There are other foods that will be more beneficial to your ducks. At the most, you probably should be feeding your ducks once or twice per week.
Ideally, you wouldn’t really be going out of your way to give them rice either.
Most of the time, when they are eating rice, you should be giving them leftovers, which leads us neatly onto our final point.
You should not give your ducks fried rice. It is laced with fat, and it is not going to be food for them to consume all of that.
Final Thougts
Ducks can eat rice, after they are 4 weeks old and there are no negative consequences to it. However, just like all foods that you feed your ducks, it should never be a key part of their diet.
The only things that should be regularly consumed by ducks should be proper duck feed.
