Can Ducks/Ducklings Eat Eggs?

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Eggs might not be the first food item that comes to your mind when trying to feed your ducks. But is it ever okay to give them eggs?

Can ducks eat eggs?

Ducks can eat eggs, preferably cooked ones. While one can offer scrambled or boiled eggs to ducks and ducklings, raw eggs are unsuitable.

Raw eggs carry the risk of a Salmonella infection. Therefore, they should not be included in the diet of a duck or duckling. Besides, letting ducks have a go at raw eggs may encourage them to eat their own eggs.

What benefits do ducks stand to get from eating eggs? Also, what kind of eggs can ducks eat? We discuss the answers to these questions and much more in this article.

Table of Contents

Are Eggs Good for Ducks?

Cooked eggs are good for ducks. They are even better when you add some eggshells to them.

For one, boiled eggs offer about 26% protein, and scrambled eggs provide about 20% protein. The protein contents of both types of cooked eggs are more than enough protein for ducks. Of course, as you may already know, protein promotes general growth.

Besides their protein content, boiled and scrambled eggs offer around 5-6% calcium. Then when you add eggshells, the calcium content shoots up even higher.

The upside to having sufficient calcium in the diet of your ducks is that it helps layer ducks lay eggs with stronger shells.

Both boiled and scrambled eggs also offer other beneficial nutrients to ducks. These include riboflavin, iron, cobalamin, vitamin D, and magnesium.

Whenever you cook eggs for your ducks, ensure you do not add spices or salt. These ingredients may stir up digestive discomfort for your ducks.

Also, a high level of salt consumption is harmful to a duck’s health in the long term.

Are They Good for Ducklings?

As with ducks, cooked eggs are good for ducklings. The protein and calcium content of boiled eggs and scrambled eggs are particularly beneficial for their growth.

But besides those two, ducklings grow even better with vitamin D, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Fortunately, they can get these nutrients from cooked eggs.

While ducks can profit from having eggshells mixed with their eggs, leave eggshells out of a duckling’s meal.

The eggshells may be too hard for your ducklings to eat, and excess amounts of calcium can actually hamper their growth.

Can They Eat Chicken Eggs?

Ducks can eat chicken eggs. Just ensure you cook the eggs before giving them to your ducks.

Besides chicken eggs, ducks can eat eggs from virtually any other domestic fowl if the eggs are cooked.

Can They Eat Duck Eggs?

Ducks can eat duck eggs. However, again, such eggs must be cooked.

Some sources discourage feeding duck eggs to ducks. The contention is that letting ducks eat duck eggs may encourage them to eat the eggs they lay.

However, since raw eggs taste differently from cooked eggs, ducks are unlikely to eat the eggs they lay if you only give them prepared eggs.

Cooked vs. Raw?

As we have emphasized thoroughly so far, cooked eggs are better for ducks than raw eggs.

The prime reason you should avoid feeding raw eggs to ducks is the risk of infection. Sometimes, raw eggs contain a bacterium called Salmonella. And if ducks ingest this bacterium, they may become sick.

Besides the risk of infection, feeding raw eggs to ducks may cause them to develop a taste for the eggs they lay. Of course, if this happens, their egg yield may drop drastically.

Unlike raw eggs, well-cooked eggs are unlikely to contain Salmonella. So, they are safer for ducks.

Then again, well-cooked eggs typically taste different from raw eggs. Therefore, they are not likely to encourage your ducks to eat the eggs they lay.

How Much/How Often to Feed

In our inquiry, we found no standard quantity or frequency of eggs to feed ducks. However, since eggs are usually offered as treats, we recommend restricting them to no more than 10% of your ducks’ daily diet.

For further clarification, you may speak to a veterinarian to know how much egg to feed your ducks and how often you can give it to them.

Conclusion

Ducks can eat eggs, be it chicken eggs or duck eggs, as long as they are cooked eggs.

Remember not to add spices or salt when cooking eggs for ducks/ducklings. While humans can handle salt and spices just fine, ducks may suffer digestive discomfort from consuming them.