Can Ducks Eat Blueberries? (Answered)

Most people love blueberries, and few can resist tasting some when offered or walking in the woods without picking any. Not only do blueberries carry a sweet taste, but they also have a lot of antioxidants.

There aren’t only humans who like the small tasty berry, but most animals do as well. In nature, you can find deer, foxes, rodents, raccoons, but also birds feasting on the tasteful berry.

Ducks can eat blueberries, and they really like the taste. Blueberries come in a perfect package, made for eating. Blueberries have both calcium and potassium, which are paramount for ducks. Ducks can benefit from eating blueberries in moderation a couple of times per week.

Ducks can eat blueberries a couple of times per week as a treat to boost antioxidants and as a sweet. While blueberries carry many nutrients, they are also made of 86% water which can be bad for ducks. A too high amount of water-dense foods can lead to diarrhea if it isn’t given in moderation.

Can ducks eat blueberries?

Ducks can eat blueberries, and they will benefit from doing so. Despite having a lower high water content in reference to other berries, it’s still quite high. (86%). Consuming foods with a too high water content may lead to diarrhea and dehydration, causing kidney problems. Blueberries should be offered in moderation and not daily. It would also be advised to offer diarrhea inhibiting foods. Oats, bananas, applesauce, rice, and potatoes are examples of foods that inhibit diarrhea.

Blueberries in comparison to other berries

Nutrient (unit)	Raspberries	Strawberries	Blackberries	Blueberries
Weight standard (g)	100	100	100	100
Energy (kcal)	34	41	43	53
Energy (kJ)	142	172	181	221
Carbohydrates (g)	4,1	8,29	7,5	9,1
Fat (g)	0,6	0,21	0,2	0,8
Protein (g)	1,2	0,49	1,13	0,7
Fibers (g)	3,7	1,9	3,4	3,1
Water (g)	90	88,73	87,5	86
Alcohol (g)	0	0	0	0
Ashes (g)	0,4	0,37	0,3	0,3
Water-soluble vitamins
Tiamin (mg)	0,03	0,01	0,02	0,04
Riboflavin (mg)	0,05	0,02	0,05	0,07
Vitamin C (mg)	27	60,8	7	8,1
Niacin (mg)	0,5	0,44	0,5	0,3
Niacin equivalents (NE/mg)	0,7	0,5	0,7	0,42
Vitamin B6 (mg)	0,09	0,07	0,05	0,06
Vitamin B12 (µg)	0	0	0	0
Folate (µg)	45,9	85,7	34	10,2
Fat-soluble vitamins
Retinol (µg)	0	0	0	0
Vitamin A (RE/µg)	0,8	0,8	3,4	8,5
β-Karoten (µg)	3	10	38	96
Vitamin D (µg)	0	0	0	0
Vitamin E (mg)	1,4	0,55	1,17	0,1
Vitamin K (µg)	10,7	5	19,8	15
Minerals
Phosphorus (mg)	28	20	24	20
Iodine (µg)	0,4	1	1	2
Iron (mg)	1,1	0,34	0,31	0,6
Calcium (mg)	27	18,1	24	23
Potassium (mg)	150	129,5	154	86
Magnesium (mg)	25	11	18	9
Sodium (mg)	1	1	1	3
Salt (g)	0	0	0	0,01
Selenium (µg)	0	0	0	0
Zinc (mg)	0,3	0,2	0,2	0,2

🍌 Did you know ducks love to eat fruits? Check out what fruits you can feed ducks.

Can ducklings eat blueberries?

Ducklings can eat blueberries after they have turned 4 weeks of age. Before that, ducks need to eat a specific diet made for ducklings. I usually go for this brand, and it has worked well every time. Ducklings require a high amount of protein in their diet initially, which can gradually decline over time. Blueberries can be given as an occasional treat after they turned 4 weeks and increase over time.

Do ducks like to eat blueberries?

Ducks absolutely love to eat blueberries and other berries. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes for them to devour an entire cartridge. I imagine there’s a combination between the sweet taste and the ease of eating it. The small balls can easily fit inside their beaks and can be swallowed whole.

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Can ducks eat raw blueberries?

Blueberries don’t need to be prepared before they are served to ducks. Ducks can eat them both in their natural form and as well as in cooked form. Make sure to remove any bush part of the blueberry before serving.

Can ducks eat cooked blueberries?

Ducks can eat cooked blueberries. They prefer them raw in their natural state.

You can make your own homemade blueberry jam. It is important you don’t add any:

• Sugar
• Salt
• Gelatine
• Preservatives

You shouldn’t incorporate any of them into a duck’s diet since they aren’t found naturally in a duck’s diet.

Can ducks eat frozen blueberries?

Ducks can eat frozen blueberries as long as you defrost them first. Blueberries are excellent for freezing and pick out when it’s time for a treat. You can let the frozen blueberries defrost inside a can of room-temperature water. You can also use the frozen blueberries in a smoothie bowl for ducks.

🥜 Did you know ducks can eat most nuts? There are some nuts you should never feed ducks. Learn which ones to never feed.

Can ducks eat moldy blueberries?

You should never feed moldy or rotten food to any animals. Moldy and rotten should be put in the compost since they are toxic to ducks. The worms inside the compost will benefit more from eating it than your ducks.

Safe ways to feed blueberries to ducks

You can give ducks blueberries in many ways, and almost all of them are safe. As one who often thinks of healthy and risk-free ways to help animals, I have written a list of my seven best ways to feed blueberries safely to ducks.

1. Give them as they are in their regular diet

This is the most simple way to give blueberries to ducks. If you already feed your ducks a variety of vegetables and some duck pellets, you can easily add blueberries to the mix. The berries provide a sweet flavor and enhance the eating experience for your ducks.

2. Throw them to the ground

An even easier way is to throw the blueberries to the ground and let the ducks forage for them. Foraging is part of the duck’s natural instincts and keeps them occupied whilst giving them a treat when finding berries.

3. Add them to a bucket of water

Ducks prefer to eat food that is in water. Fill a bucket of water and add the blueberries to it. This helps them to swallow the food more easily and decreases the risk of them choking.

4. Feed the blueberries in moderation

Although blueberries are great antioxidants and hold many nutrients, it would still be best to feed them in moderation. Blueberries are 86% water, and consuming too much water may cause diarrhea. Blueberries are 53 calories per 100 grams, which is a bit more than other popular berries.

5. Make a blueberry smoothie for your ducks

Making a smoothie bowl for your ducks is a great way to keep your ducks happy.

My duck’s favorite smoothie bowl recipe includes:

• 1/2 gallon of water
• 3 bananas
• 2 hands of blueberries
• 2 hands of raspberries
• 1 hand of strawberries
• 2 hands of green peas
• 3 leaves of kale

The berries can either be frozen or at room temperature.

6. Make a salad for your ducks

Salads are a great way to spoil your ducks. Most vegetables don’t need to be cooked and can be served raw.

I usually add these ingredients to my duck’s salad bowls:

• Tomatoes
• Nuts (Check the link what nuts ducks can eat)
• Grated carrots
• Oats
• Apple slices
• Cooked beans
• Mango or blueberries
• Cooked broccoli

7. Make a blueberry nice cream

Ducks love to eat nice cream. Nice cream is super easy to make, and the only thing required is foresight.

Nice cream is frozen bananas mixed in a food processor. It works well with only bananas, but you can add other fruits and vegetables too.

Check out the video below to get started with nice cream bowls.

🍦 Nice cream is good for both ducks and humans. Do you know what other human foods ducks can eat?

How you shouldn’t feed blueberries to ducks

There are some ways you should avoid feeding blueberries to ducks. Like someone who accidentally made three out of these four mistakes, I will share what I learned.

1. Feeding ducks moldy or rotten blueberries

It’s crucial to check if your blueberries have started to rot or become moldy. You can notice the berries to be a bit wrinkly. Mold is toxic to ducks and may end up killing them. Mold looks like a greyish hue on blueberries, and if you see it on some blueberries, you will need to throw out all berries near it.

2. Feeding ducks blueberries in their bathing water

If your ducks have a pond to swim in, it isn’t good to throw the berries inside it. If the duck would miss some of the berries thrown in, it will pursue algae growth. If it is a public pond, it would be best to feed the ducks on land instead.

3. Feeding them too much blueberries

Blueberries have a high amount of water, which can cause diarrhea if they eat too much. It would be best to add oats, bananas, applesauce, rice, or potatoes to their diet when they are given blueberries. These foods inhibit diarrhea.

4. Feeding them blueberries too often

Feeding blueberries to ducks may seem like a kind thing to do. Blueberries should be seen as something you give as an occasional treat. Blueberries are high in calories compared to other berries and should be fed in moderation.

How often should I give my ducks blueberries?

You can give your ducks blueberries as often as you would like. However, you will need to make adjustments to their other foods. If you increase the amount of blueberries, you will need to decrease something else. Otherwise, the ducks will have a caloric surplus and become overweight.

How much blueberries can I feed my ducks?

The amount of blueberries you can feed your ducks is determined by the rest of the food you are giving them. To add blueberries to your duck’s diet, you will need to adjust some other foods. Since blueberries are pretty high in calories and my ducks prefer raspberries more, I only give blueberries once a week and try to aim for 1.7 oz (50 grams) per duck.

How to store blueberries?

I meal prep every Sunday and plan out the feed for the upcoming week for all animals. I weigh everything and put everything in the freezer for each day. One bag and one Tupperware container for each day. The bag is often filled with kale and the container with blueberries and other fruits ducks can eat. The duck pellets are stored inside a wooden box in a cool environment above ground.

What food pairs well with blueberries?

To take the ducks on a gastronomic journey, you can plan out the foods you give them to enhance the taste experience. Some food works better with others.

🦐 Did you know ducks are omnivores and eat both vegetables, fruits and other animals? Check out what other animals ducks eat here.

Health benefits from feeding blueberries to ducks

Blueberries carry a lot of healthy vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium are some of them.

Vitamin C in blueberries for ducks

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps the immune system prevent diseases. It helps for the growth, repair, and development of body tissues.

Vitamin B6 in blueberries for ducks

Vitamin B6 helps the duck’s central nervous system and metabolism. It helps the development of serotonin and dopamine. B6 is essential for the cells to function properly.

Iron in blueberries for ducks

Iron helps the body to produce hemoglobin. Hemoglobin transfers oxygen around to different body parts.

Magnesium in blueberries for ducks

Magnesium helps to keep the blood pressure normal, the bones strong, and the heart rhythm at a good pace.

Calcium in blueberries for ducks

Calcium is important in volant animals. Birds lay eggs that require a lot of calcium. Almost the entire eggshell is made of calcium.

Potassium in blueberries for ducks

Potassium is important for fluid balance in the body and keeping the cells healthy.

Conclusion

Ducks can eat blueberries, and they really like it. The small berries don’t require any preparation from your side besides a small check for mold and rinsing before feeding.

Ducklings can eat blueberries as well, but first, after they have turned four weeks of age. Until then, they will need to follow a strict duckling diet with high protein content.

Blueberries have more calories than raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

You can feed ducks both raw and cooked blueberries to ducks. They prefer them raw, but also in a smoothie bowl. It is fine to feed them frozen blueberries. Make sure they don’t stick together and get stuck in the throat of the duck.

You need to check the blueberries for mold and rot before feeding them. Mold is toxic and can be lethal for your ducks.

Safe ways to feed blueberries to ducks:

• Give them as they are in their regular diet
• Throw them to the ground
• Add them to a bucket of water
• Feed the blueberries in moderation
• Make a blueberry smoothie for your ducks
• Make a salad for your ducks
• Make a blueberry nice cream

Ways you shouldn’t feed your ducks’ blueberries:

• Feeding ducks moldy or rotten blueberries
• Feeding ducks blueberries in their bathing water
• Feeding them too much blueberries
• Feeding them blueberries too often

You can feed blueberries how much as you want as long as you have adjusted their other foods so they won’t become overweight and added foods that inhibit diarrhea. Blueberries’ high water content may cause the ducks diarrhea if not fed in moderation.

You can store blueberries safely in the freezer.

Blueberries have a lot of vitamins and minerals. Some of them are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Potassium