Spinach is my favorite vegetable, and it’s supreme in nutrients to other vegetables. It’s easy to add to almost any dish. So I did some research if I could give spinach to my ducks. Here’s what I’ve found.
Ducks can eat spinach but in extreme moderation. Spinach isn’t toxic to them, but it contains oxalate, which is a chemical that interferes with the absorption of calcium. Since calcium is paramount in a duck’s diet, make sure to give them extra calcium-rich foods if you feed them spinach.
Many ducks lay eggs. Both the egg production and the eggshell itself require a lot of calcium. Duck eggshells are actually 97.9% calcium. Therefore, it’s important to provide the ducks with calcium and help them to absorb it. However, spinach has a lot of vitamins and minerals beneficial for the duck’s well-being.
Can ducks eat spinach?
Spinach isn’t harmful to ducks in the way it can kill them. As long as you know what you are doing, it’s going to be fine. On the days I give my ducks spinach, I add some extra calcium sources to their diet. Crushed oyster shells and crushed eggshells contain a lot of calcium which is awesome for the ducks. I usually feed my ducks crushed oyster shells. I also use crushed oyster shells for my garden to boost the soil’s calcium and make it more alkaline. This is my go-to brand.
Can ducklings eat spinach?
Ducklings can eat spinach, but not in their first four weeks of age. In their first four weeks, they need to eat a concentrated, high-protein diet. There are special duckling feeds to purchase which hold the required protein percentage. When the duckling gets older, you can gradually add spinach to their diet. However, you will still need to feed in extreme moderation. This is my go-to duckling feed brand.
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Do ducks like to eat spinach?
Ducks like to eat spinach, and they prefer it when it’s given to them in some water. It’s easier for them to ingest and also reduces the choking hazard. However, the best way to feed spinach to ducks is to mix in other foods as well—preferably calcium-rich foods, like tofu, almonds, and turnips.
Can ducks eat raw spinach?
Ducks can eat raw spinach. The spinach doesn’t need to be cooked for them to eat it. However, it would help them if you chopped the spinach into smaller pieces and in water. Due to the oxalic acid in spinach, you shouldn’t feed them too much raw spinach or too often.
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Can ducks eat cooked spinach?
Although the cooked spinach wouldn’t kill the duck, it will still provide some nutrients but deplete the bones’ calcium. However, cooked spinach doesn’t have an advantage over raw spinach concerning oxalic acid. Oxalic acid isn’t removed when cooked. If you feed your ducks some spinach, please provide them with extra calcium.
Can ducks eat frozen spinach?
I usually feed my ducks the spinach frozen. Frozen chopped spinach balls are inexpensive at the store and can be added to water and dissolve easily. I don’t add more than one cube, and always with other foods. You can add frozen spinach to nice cream and smoothies.
Can ducks eat moldy spinach?
You should never feed moldy or rotten spinach or any other food to any animal. Mold is toxic and can be lethal to them. Even inhaling the spores can be harmful to them. Throw away moldy food immediately.
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Alternatives to spinach for ducks
Other green vegetables that are better than spinach you can feed are cabbage, lettuce, and kale. Although kale contains oxalic acid, it’s a small amount (0.02mg per 100g), where spinach contains 0.97mg per 100g.
| Vegetable | Oxalic acid (mg) per 100g |
|---|---|
| Cabbage | 0.10 |
| Kale | 0.02 |
| Lettuce | 0.33 |
| Spinach | 0.97 |
Nuts are great to add into a duck’s diet, but there are some nuts you shouldn’t feed. Find out what nuts ducks can eat here.
How do you cut spinach for ducks?
Spinach leaves can be pretty large and be pretty difficult for the ducks to swallow. If you either chop them with a vegetable chopper or blend them, the ducks will have a much easier time consuming them.
If you are using frozen spinach that’s already chopped, you can add it to water. However, my preferred way is to add the frozen spinach to a smoothie or make nice cream for them.
Safe ways to feed spinach to ducks
Although you shouldn’t feed spinach too often and too much to ducks, there are still ways you can make it safer for them to eat. The most important is to feed in moderation and with other foods. Here are some ways you can feed spinach to ducks.
Feeding spinach to ducks in water
Ducks prefer to eat their food in the water. It helps them to ingest it and makes it softer. You can add chopped spinach to a bucket of water with other food. Never throw the food into the water they swim in. That way, it’s easier for algae growth which can cause problems with the ecosystem below the surface. If a certain alga grows rapidly, it can cause species to die and take over algae.
Feeding spinach to ducks in a smoothie
Smoothie bowls are great to add a lot of nutrition and, at the same time giving the ducks a treat. My ducks prefer peas, so I make sure to always add some on top. Blend some of their favorite vegetables in a blender until smooth. For extra points in fanciness, give each duck their own bowl, so they don’t have to share and be in each other’s face.
There are a lot of vegetables ducks can eat. Check what you can offer to them and blend. For a big blender, I wouldn’t use more than one cube of frozen spinach. An equal amount of fresh spinach would be a handful.
Feeding spinach to ducks in nice cream
Nice cream is ice cream without dairy. Instead of dairy, the base is made of frozen bananas that blend smoothly with other fruits and vegetables. There are a lot of fruits ducks can eat, and it’s hard to fail. Fruits contain many calories, so make sure you have adjusted their other foods accordingly when you treat them with nice cream.
In the Youtube video below, you can see some examples of different nice cream blends.
Feeding spinach with other foods to ducks
A good way to give spinach to ducks is to mix it with other foods. Especially calcium-rich foods since spinach contain a high amount of oxalic acid, depleting the calcium in the duck’s bones.
You can chop the fresh spinach and give it with oats and their regular duck feed.
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How often should I feed spinach to ducks?
Spinach can be dismissed from the duck’s diet if you would like. It isn’t mandatory. However, you can add it you would like. You can feed spinach to ducks as often as you would like, as long as you make adjustments to the other foods in their diet and give the spinach in moderation.
How much spinach should I feed my ducks?
The amount of spinach you feed to your ducks is determined by the other foods in your duck’s diet. Before adding spinach to your duck’s diet, I recommend contacting a veterinarian to ensure your ducks receive the best nutrition suited for them. For my six ducks, I only give them one frozen spinach ball weekly.
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Health benefits for ducks from eating spinach
Despite being inadvisable for ducks, spinach carries many valuable nutrients, which most of us can benefit from, including ducks. The water content in spinach is pretty high, which can cause diarrhea. It’s important to feed diarrhea inhibiting foods like oats, bananas, or tomatoes with spinach.
Spinach contains high amounts of β-Carotene, Vitamin A, Folate, Vitamin K, and Potassium.
β-Carotene in spinach for ducks
β-Carotene is pretty high in spinach and will help the duck with age-related cognitive decline. As an antioxidant, it converts into vitamin a (retinol) and helps with vision. Foods high in β-Carotene ducks can eat pumpkin, carrots, cabbage, and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin A in spinach for ducks
Vitamin A helps the eyes to adjust to light changes easier and improves night vision. It also supports bone health and supports cell growth. An excess intake of vitamin a could lead to hypervitaminosis. Foods rich in vitamin a, ducks can eat are eggs, carrots, papaya, and cabbage.
Folate in in spinach for ducks
Folate or folic acid is important for many reasons in the body. It helps digestion, supports brain and nerve function, DNA creation and repair, and proper cell function. Foods rich in folate that ducks can eat are asparagus, peanuts, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, lentils, soybeans, broccoli, lettuce, and corn.
Vitamin K in spinach for ducks
Vitamin K benefits and improves bone density, brain function and helps blood clotting. Symptoms of vitamin k deficiency are easy bruising, blood in urine or stool, and a longer time to heal from wounds. Foods rich in vitamin k are kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, asparagus, green beans, and lettuce.
Potassium in spinach for ducks
Potassium is important in the duck’s diet. Potassium helps with fluid balance, promotes faster cell renewal, and maintains blood sugar levels. Foods rich in potassium are bananas, potatoes, pumpkins, and raisins.
Comparison fresh and frozen spinach
| Nutrient (unit) | Frozen spinach | Fresh spinach |
|---|---|---|
| Weight standard (g) | 100 | 100 |
| Energy (kcal) | 20 | 24 |
| Energy (kJ) | 84 | 101 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Fat (g) | 0.57 | 0.39 |
| Protein (g) | 2.25 | 3.31 |
| Fiber (g) | 2.02 | 2.07 |
| Water (g) | 93.8 | 91.2 |
| Alcohol (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Ashes (g) | 0.86 | 2.28 |
| Monosaccharides (g) | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Disaccharides (g) | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Sucrose (g) | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Sugars (g) | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| Total saturated fatty acids (g) | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Fatty acid 4: 0-10: 0 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Lauric acid C12: 0 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Myristic acid C14: 0 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Palmitic acid C16: 0 (g) | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Stearic acid C18: 0 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Arachidic acid C20: 0 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Total monounsaturated fatty acids (g) | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| Palmitic acid C16: 1 (g) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Oleic acid C18: 1 (g) | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (g) | 0.31 | 0.31 |
| Linoleic acid C18: 2 (g) | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Linolenic acid C18: 3 (g) | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| Arachidonic acid C20: 4 (g) | 0 | 0 |
| EPA (C20:5) (g) | 0 | 0 |
| DPA (C22:5) (g) | 0 | 0 |
| DHA (C22:6) (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Tiamin (mg) | 0.04 | 0.11 |
| Riboflavin (mg) | 0.1 | 0.17 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 11.9 | 36.7 |
| Niacin (mg) | 0.23 | 0.6 |
| Niacin equivalents (NE / mg) | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.1 | 0.28 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0 | 0 |
| Folate (µg) | 95.1 | 202 |
| Retinol (µg) | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin A (RE/µg) | 242.9 | 382.5 |
| β-Karoten (µg) | 2900 | 4540 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 1.18 | 1.94 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 260 | 357 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 33 | 45 |
| Iodine (µg) | 4 | 4 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.83 | 2.08 |
| Calcium (mg) | 120 | 83 |
| Potassium (mg) | 230 | 730 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 32 | 95 |
| Sodium (mg) | 18 | 100 |
| Salt (g) | 0.05 | 0.25 |
| Selenium (µg) | 0 | 10.8 |
| Zinc (mg) | 0.77 | 0.94 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 0 | 0 |
| Whole grains total (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Waste (shell etc.) (%) | 0 | 0 |
Conclusion
Ducks can eat spinach but shouldn’t eat it too often. Spinach contains oxalate, which depletes the calcium in the duck’s bones. Calcium is important in a duck’s diet for egg production.
Ducklings shouldn’t eat any spinach until at least four weeks of age but shouldn’t be added until necessary.
The spinach can be both raw, cooked, or frozen.
The best way to feed ducks spinach is in moderation, chopped, and in water with other foods.
