When you are visiting the park with your family and see a family of ducks it can be fun to treat them to some food. There are some foods that are better than others and some that should be avoided completely. Nuts and fodders are easy to bring with you since they easily can fit in a pocket and also provide the ducks with excellent nutrition.

I researched which nuts and fodders are the best, worst and which you can give to the ducks and mallards in your area.

You can give walnuts, hazelnuts, and peanuts to ducks. As long as their shells are removed and salt hasn’t been added.

Most pet food can be given to ducks as long as they are given in moderation and in small sizes. However, wet dog food should be avoided.

I am not a veterinarian and you should always contact one before changing your backyard duck’s diet.

If you are intered in what vegetables you can give ducks I wrote a resource about that containing over 60 examples of vegetables.

List of which nuts and pet foods you can feed ducks

Nuts and fodder	Can Ducks Eat it?
Acorns	No
Almonds	Yes
Birdseed	Yes
Cat food	Yes
Chicken food	Yes
Dog food	No
Dry cat food	Yes
Dry dog food	Yes
Fish food	Yes
Gravel	Yes
Guinea pig food	Yes
Guinea pig pellets	Yes
Hamster food	Yes
Hay	Yes
Hazelnuts	Yes
Hemp seeds	Yes
Humans	No
Kitten food	Yes
Koi food	Yes
Layer pellets	Yes
Nuts	Yes
Peanuts	Yes
Peanuts in the shell	Yes
Pumpkin seeds	Yes
Quail feed	Yes
Rabbit food	Yes
Rocks	Yes
Seeds	Yes
Sunflower seeds	Yes
Turkey food	Yes
Walnuts	Yes
Watermelon seeds	Yes
Wild bird seed	Yes

Can ducks eat acorns?

Feeding acorns to ducks should be avoided. The reason is the acorns are too big for the ducks to swallow, and there have been some findings of toxicity among ducks, according to PoultryDVM. (Source).

Can ducks eat almonds?

You can feed ducks almonds as long as you crush the almonds into smaller pieces first. The size of the almond is too big for their mouths to swallow whole.

Can ducks eat hazelnuts?

Hazelnuts are good for ducks as long as they are grounded into smaller pieces before serving. The risk of choking is high since the size of the nut can easily get stuck in its throat. Nuts provide much-needed good fats, which help the ducks to store energy for the colder winter months. Just make sure to crush them up before serving.

Can ducks eat hemp seeds?

Ducks can eat hemp seeds in small amounts and moderation. The high amount of protein and fat can seem good to offer the ducks. A too high amount of protein can cause Angelwing, which is very painful for them.

Can ducks eat nuts?

There’s a lot of nuts to chose from, and ducks like to eat them. However, it’s crucial to crush the nuts before feeding them to the ducks. Nuts are a severe choking hazard. If you wish to bring some nuts to the park, make sure to crush them first. If you forgot the crush them at home, you can place the nuts in a bag and crush them with a rock. Please don’t risk it.

Can ducks eat peanuts?

Ducks can eat peanuts, but you will have to grind them first. Otherwise, they can easily get stuck and suffocate them. It would be best not to offer salted peanuts to ducks since the salt is bad for them. In case there are squirrels nearby who also enjoy peanuts, the peanuts have to be roasted first. Read more about feeding peanuts to ducks here.

Can ducks eat peanuts in the shell?

Ducks can eat peanuts in the shell. However, you will have to grind up the peanuts before feeding them to the ducks since they easily can choke on them. However, the shell doesn’t provide any nutritional value for the ducks and should instead be avoided. The shells will take up an unnecessary place in their stomach and cause malnourishment. Read more about feeding peanuts to ducks here.

Can ducks eat pumpkin seeds?

Both pumpkin and pumpkin seeds are healthy and nutritious for ducks to eat. However, it is important to check that the seeds have not been exposed to mold. Moldy food is toxic and will harm the ducks. Read more about feeding pumpkin seeds to ducks here.

Can ducks eat seeds?

Seeds are the best things you can give to ducks to eat. Seeds are in their natural diet and provide them with healthy fats and proper nutrition. If you wish to feed the ducks in the park, you should consider buying a pack of mixed seeds for the ducks to enjoy.

Can ducks eat sunflower seeds?

Ducks can and should eat sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are proper nutrition for the ducks and provide them with many health benefits. If you could only choose one thing to bring to the park to feed the ducks, go with sunflower seeds.

Can ducks eat walnuts?

Larger nuts should be avoided when feeding ducks; however, it’s fine for ducks to consume them if you crush them into smaller pieces. Nuts contain healthy fats and provide the duck with a lot of vitamins. Make sure the nuts are fresh, so there isn’t any mold. Read more about feeding walnuts to ducks here.

Can ducks eat watermelon seeds?

Ducks love both watermelon and watermelon seeds. Watermelon seeds are almost the equal amount of calories as chips. However, the calorie content is made of better nutrients and healthier fats. Serving ducks’ watermelon with seeds is a great way to keep the ducks cool during summer and provides them with healthy fats.

Can ducks eat wild bird seed?

Ducks are birds. Their natural diets contain seeds. Ducks can eat wild birdseed. Make sure you chose a mix with healthy seeds. I prefer this one from Amazon.

Can ducks eat birdseed?

Ducks will definitely benefit from eating birdseeds. There are several types of birdseeds, and if your goal is to feed ducks, you should aim to serve them birdseed mix containing sunflower. Schoen Farms has a good bird mix containing sunflower, cracked corn, and wheat, providing the birds with great nutrient-dense seeds.

Can ducks eat cat food?

Ducks can eat cat food in moderation. Cat food has a high amount of protein that can benefit the ducks, but it could be harmful in excess. When ducks consume too much protein, the risk of developing Angel Wing increases which will cause them to suffer greatly
Cat food can be both dry and wet. Dry cat food would be most beneficial since it is easier for them to eat, where wet cat food can get mold easier and attract other animals.

Can ducks eat chicken food?

Adult ducks and chickens can eat the same food. Chicks and ducklings yet need different types of food. There are some great organic chicken pellets on Amazon which would work great to feed ducks with.

Can ducks eat dog food?

It’s possible to feed fucks with dog food. Dog food contains a high amount of nutrient value for ducks. However, there is always a risk of suffocation if the dog food is served in too large pieces. If you decide to give ducks some dog food, make sure it’s in small pieces and that everything is getting eaten immediately since dog food easily gets moldy. There’s also that risk of giving the duck too much protein, which can cause “Angel Wing.” Angel wing is a deformity that hinders the duck put its wing to its side but instead forcing it to stay up at all times. The last risk of providing the ducks with dog food is the risk of it containing duck. Enforcing cannibalism can cause aggressiveness and viciousness among the birds.

I wouldn’t risk giving the ducks’ dog food since its too many things that could go wrong. It’s better to give the ducks food from their natural environment.

Can ducks eat dry cat food?

Ducks can eat dry cat food as long as it is in moderation. Dry cat food is higher in protein than wet cat food, which is problematic since too much protein intake for ducks can result in Angel Wing. The symptom of Angel Wing is when the duck isn’t able to fold down its wings, which is very painful for them. A better option would be to give the ducks chicken feed or regular seeds.

Can ducks eat dry dog food?

Ducks love the taste of dry dog food. As dry cat food, it contains a high amount of protein which requires it to be served in moderation. The food is packed with nutrients and vitamins beneficial for both dogs and ducks. However, I would suggest feeding the ducks food from their natural environment. They love to eat seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

Can ducks eat fish food?

Ducks can eat fish food. There are different types of fish foods: some which float and those which sinks. I wouldn’t suggest feeding ducks fish food since uneaten food would cause algae in the pond and disrupt the ecosystem. It would be best if you instead considered feeding the ducks some sunflower seeds.

Can ducks eat guinea pig food?

Ducks can eat the same as guinea pigs, with some exceptions. Lettuce, carrots, peas, broccoli, artichokes, kale, tomatoes, bell peppers are great for ducks. However, spinach is not good for ducks since it would intervene with Calcium uptake, leading to osteoporosis.

Can ducks eat guinea pig pellets?

Ducks can eat guinea pig pellets since it mostly contains grains and hay. Kaytee is a veterinarian-recommended brand that is quite inexpensive at Amazon. They are easily digested and easy to consume.

Can ducks eat hamster food?

Ducks can eat hamster food. It’s almost the same food as guinea pigs. Both diets contain a large variety of vegetables and insects.
Ducks shouldn’t be offered spinach since it would be harmful and cause problems with their bodies ability to uptake Calcium. Otherwise are hamster food great food to give ducks.

Can ducks eat hay?

Chickens and ducks eat almost the same. While ducks prefer the more wet grass and hay, chickens prefer the drier foods. Putting out some grass clippings would help the ducks. If they do not wish to eat it, they could use the grass clippings to build a nest.

Can ducks eat kitten food?

Ducks and kittens both have small teeth. You can give ducks some kitten food to eat if offered in small pieces and in moderation. There’s a good amount of protein in kitten food, helping the kitten grow, although ducks should eat protein in moderation. If you have some kitten leftovers, feel free to offer them to the ducks in the pond.

Can ducks eat koi food?

Ducks can eat floating fish food like pellets. However, I wouldn’t recommend tossing koi food in a public pond. Uneaten food will cause algae to grow, which can overtake the whole pond. Although koi food isn’t harmful to them, and ducks can still eat it. Make sure to give in moderation and on land.

Can ducks eat layer pellets?

Layer pellets are usually given to chickens and can be offered to ducks as well. However, laying ducks needs additional Niacin (Vitamin B3), which can be found in green peas or cooked potatoes.

Can ducks eat quail feed?

Ducks and quail require almost the same things in their diet. Both need a good amount of Calcium. Calcium is usually gained from oyster shells. If you have some quail feed you don’t know what to do, offer it to the ducks. They would love it.

Can ducks eat rabbit food?

Ducks will benefit from eating rabbit pellets. Rabbit pellets provide a great number of vitamins and nutrients the duck will benefit from. While providing excellent nutrition for the ducks, it’s also inexpensive. Check out this bag at Amazon.

Can ducks eat turkey food?

Turkey’s feed is quite high in protein. A high protein intake is to be avoided for ducks. Ducks would instead prefer a mix of seeds, grains, and nuts. However, in moderation, ducks can eat turkey feed.

MISC

Can ducks eat gravel?

It happens from time to time that ducks accidentally eat gravel. Sometimes they even gravel to help them to digest their food. It’s normal. If you see a duck eating gravel, don’t worry. Ducks can eat gravel.

Can ducks eat humans?

It’s rare for ducks to attack a human. Ducks are usually seen as prey in the wild, and their natural defense is to run or fly away. On some rare occasions, ducks have attacked people who have been too close to their nests.

Can ducks eat rocks?

Ducks eat rocks and gravel sometimes to help with their digestive system. It’s fully normal and nothing to worry about. However, it would be best if you didn’t feed the ducks rock or gravel. They will help themselves with it when they see fit.