Ducks are the most usual and beloved pets that deserve to be spoiled sometimes. Frankly, the aviculturists are always in search of finding ways to spoil these birds with delicious treats. You might have tried various treatment options already, it’s time to bring treat our beloved pets with something new. Lettuce is the new hit in the ducks’ world, let’s find out if it’s safe and healthy to feed or not.
Yes, ducks can eat lettuce and some other kinds of salad leaves. Though it can not be served as a meal, lettuce however would make a deliciously nutritional treat.
If lettuce is fed in moderation, it might not cause any harm. So, choosing lettuce, kale, cabbage, chard, collards, and all other sorts of squash leaves as a treat would be a fine idea.
Once you decide to go with a fruit or vegetable treat, would my bird or animal-like it or not? starts bothering the aviculturist.
So, It appears that the ducks like it as they do not mind eating lettuce and are often noticed demanding more. And since salad leaves are delicious and healthy, there is no legitimate reason to hate them.
For the record, in a particular health condition feeding lettuce as a treat should be avoided. It should not be fed when its poops are absurdly tinted or loose.
Not following the feed-in moderation rule can also give them loose stinkier poops so, in such a medical condition it should be avoided at all costs.
Lettuce might have all the needed nutrients, it still can not be fed as a meal. If the aviculturist takes it as a meal it gives ducks lose and stinkier poop. If this warning sign is ignored, ducks can have more serious health issues.
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We all know there are several kinds of lettuce available in the market. Romaine, crisphead, butterhead, and stem are the most known kinds of lettuce.
The lettuce that is 100% safe and healthy for ducks are rocket, kale, iceberg lettuce, watercress, and pea shoots.
Rocket is the most liked lettuce form of lettuce that can be frozen, tinned, or fresh. Kale is the ducks ‘ favorite as well, it is super flavorful and nutritious.
How would a bird or animal hate it? Iceberg is the most common kind of lettuce. It is the least desired lettuce kind that happens to have low nutritional value.
Watercress has the highest nutritional content however, only a few ducks seem to enjoy it. Pea Shoot is another healthiest kind of lettuce that contains vitamin C in abundance.
Since birds can not produce vitamin C themselves, feeding Pea Shoot as treat would be a fine idea.
Like every other fruit and vegetable treat, the following feeding rules must not be neglected;
- Feed-in moderation: Whether it’s lettuce or any other fruit or vegetable treat, it should be fed in moderation. To be more specific, 10% of the total daily diet or a handful of lettuce is enough to give ducks a healthy boost.
- It must be washed: All fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides, there are some solid chances that lettuce you are about to feed would also be sprayed. The animals, birds, and even humans do not respond to chemicals well. So, make sure the few lettuce leaves you have picked are thoroughly washed.
- It must be chopped: The lettuce must also be chopped as the unchopped leaves can cause choking.
- Frequency: Fruit and vegetable treats, no matter how healthy and delicious they are, should only be fed once or twice a year. So, lettuce must also not be fed more than twice a week.
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Now that the aviculturists have got the idea of how lettuce should be fed. Let’s see what vitamins and minerals lettuce has and how these nutrients are beneficial so the aviculturists are not feeding it with half knowledge.
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Lettuce is a low fiber high mineral treat, it contains a variety of minerals and vitamins that are immensely beneficial for ducks. The vitamins and minerals lettuce is loaded with are;
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
Ducks need a variety of vitamins and minerals, magnesium is one of them. The said mineral is needed in high amounts, especially during the first 16 post-hatching days. Feed alternatives like celery to ducks as a healthy treat.
It is needed for overall growth, nerve, digestive, and reproductive health. If these overly loved waterfowls do not get adequate magnesium, retarded growth, convulsive attacks, incoordination, and death can occur.
Potassium is another important mineral that promotes health and wellness. Ducks and other birds need potassium to regulate fluid balance, muscle contraction, and maintain overall health.
Calcium deficiency is immensely common in ducks, the aviculturists often use chick-size grit and crushed oyster shells to fulfill the deficiency.
A balanced calcium dose helps in protecting these poor waterfowls from reproductive illness and osteoporosis.
Calcium and phosphorus deficiency is breathtakingly common in birds. These birds mainly need vitamin D and phosphorus for the proper utilization of calcium. Moreover, it is crucial for growth and wellness.
It’s no secret that humans and most non-human primates need vitamin C for their survival. As they can not produce vitamin C themselves, they must have to fulfill the need from food. So, if a treat is fulfilling some part of the total vitamin C need what’s the harm?
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Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and some other domestic birds mainly need vitamin K for prothrombin synthesis. If not supplied in an adequate amount, vitamin K deficiency can occur. It results in blood spots in eggs, hemorrhages, failure in blood clotting, etc.
If we are asked whether lettuce should be fed or not? We would say, it should be fed as a treat. It should be washed and finely chopped and must not be more than 10% of the total duck’s daily diet.
