Introduction
What do ducks eat in Nigeria? Ducks can eat commercial poultry feed, maize, rice bran, vegetables, grains, insects and some safe kitchen leftovers. However, simply giving a duck whatever food is available is not enough.
Young ducklings need more protein for growth, while laying ducks need a balanced diet with enough minerals. Clean water is also extremely important.
One of the first questions a new duck farmer asks is simple:
“What can I feed my ducks?”
It is a good question because feed can take a large part of the money spent on raising poultry.
The good news is that ducks are not extremely difficult to feed.
They can eat a mixture of commercial feed, grains, vegetables and other suitable local feed materials. They can also forage for insects and other natural foods when they have enough space.
But there is one important rule:
Cheap food is not always good food.
A farmer may save money by giving ducks only maize or kitchen leftovers. The birds may survive, but they may not grow or lay eggs as expected.
According to the FAO, birds need carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. Young birds need more protein for growth, while laying birds need more minerals for egg production.
So, what should a Nigerian farmer actually feed ducks?
Let’s break it down.
10 Best Foods Ducks Eat in Nigeria
1. Commercial Duck or Poultry Feed
Commercial feed is one of the easiest options for a farmer.
Depending on what is available in your area, you may use suitable poultry feed formulated for the bird’s age and purpose. Starter feed is used for young birds, while growers and layers need different diets.
FAO guidance notes that poultry feed can also be suitable for ducks, provided the nutritional needs of the birds are met.
For a beginner, commercial feed can make feeding easier because the nutrients are already combined.
However, always buy fresh feed and keep it in a dry place.
2. Maize
Maize is widely available in Nigeria and can provide energy for ducks.
You can use whole or properly processed maize as part of the diet. However, maize alone is not a complete duck feed.
Why?
Because ducks also need protein, minerals and vitamins.
So think of maize as one part of the meal, rather than the whole meal.
The FAO lists maize and other grains among useful sources of carbohydrates for poultry.
3. Rice Bran
Rice bran can be useful where it is locally available.
This is especially interesting for Nigerian farmers because rice production and rice milling generate bran that can be used as a feed ingredient.
Rice bran provides energy and other nutrients, but it should be included as part of a balanced ration rather than used as the only feed.
4. Vegetables and Green Leaves
Ducks enjoy many types of fresh green plant materials.
Examples include:
- Amaranth leaves
- Waterleaf
- Vegetable trimmings
- Soft grasses
- Other safe leafy vegetables
Green materials can provide vitamins and variety in the diet.
FAO guidance on duck production recommends providing fresh vegetable matter, including grasses, legumes and vegetable leaves.
But make sure the vegetables are fresh and free from chemicals, mould and contamination.
5. Insects and Natural Foods
This is one reason ducks can be useful for farmers with space.
Ducks are good foragers.
When allowed to move around suitable areas, they can find insects, larvae, worms and other natural food.
The FAO notes that ducks can forage for insects, larvae, aquatic weeds and other natural foods, particularly in integrated farming systems.
This does not mean you should completely stop giving them feed.
Instead, natural foraging can supplement their diet.
6. Soybean Meal
Soybean meal is a useful source of plant protein.
Protein is particularly important for young ducks because they are growing rapidly.
If you are mixing feed yourself, soybean meal can be one of the ingredients used to increase the protein content.
However, homemade feed needs to be properly balanced. Simply adding soybean meal to maize does not automatically create a complete ration.
7. Fish Meal
Fish meal can provide animal protein and is used in some poultry feed formulations.
Where it is affordable and properly prepared, it can be included in duck diets.
However, there is no need to overdo it.
FAO guidance warns that too much animal protein can be expensive and may create problems; excessive fish meal can also affect the taste of eggs.
Image Source: Getty Images
8. Safe Kitchen Leftovers
Some household food waste can be useful for ducks.
For example, certain cooked vegetables and other suitable food leftovers can be given after being properly prepared.
But this does not mean you should give ducks a bucket of mixed household waste.
Avoid food that is mouldy, rotten, heavily salted or contaminated.
A simple rule is:
If it is spoiled, do not give it to your ducks.
9. Grains and Bran
Depending on availability, farmers can use suitable grains such as sorghum, millet and other cereal products as part of a balanced ration.
Bran from grains can also be useful.
The important thing is balance.
A duck needs more than carbohydrates. It also needs protein, minerals and vitamins.
10. Clean Drinking Water
Technically, water is not food.
But when talking about duck feeding, it is impossible to leave it out.
Ducks need plenty of clean water.
Ducks naturally dip their bills and heads into water while eating and drinking. FAO guidance states that ducks need more water than chickens and should have enough water to dip their heads and necks.
If feed is available but clean water is not, you are creating an unnecessary problem for the birds.
Change dirty water regularly and make sure the drinking area does not become a breeding ground for disease.
What Should Ducklings Eat?
Ducklings need special attention because they are still growing.
Their feed should provide enough protein and other nutrients needed for healthy development.
FAO material gives examples of starter diets containing around 20% crude protein, while grower and layer requirements change as the birds mature. Exact requirements vary according to breed, age and production system.
For a beginner, the simplest approach is usually to buy a good-quality starter feed suitable for young poultry and seek advice from a livestock or veterinary professional if you are unsure.
Do not assume that feeding young ducks only maize will give good results.
What Should Laying Ducks Eat?
Laying ducks have different nutritional needs.
They need enough protein, energy, vitamins and minerals to support egg production.
Calcium is particularly important because eggshells contain calcium.
FAO guidance shows that laying ducks need a diet with higher mineral requirements than growing birds.
If your main business is selling duck eggs, feed quality should therefore be treated as an investment rather than an unnecessary expense.
Can Ducks Eat Chicken Feed?
Yes, suitable poultry feed can be used for ducks in some production systems.
However, the feed should match the ducks’ age and purpose.
A duckling, growing duck and laying duck do not have exactly the same nutritional needs.
The FAO specifically notes that poultry feed can be used as duck feed, while stressing the importance of meeting the birds’ nutritional requirements.
When in doubt, speak with a livestock nutritionist, veterinarian or experienced poultry farmer before changing the ration.
Foods You Should Not Give Your Ducks
Farmers should also know what not to feed.
Avoid:
- Mouldy feed
- Rotten food
- Heavily contaminated leftovers
- Excessively salty food
- Spoiled vegetables
- Feed contaminated with chemicals
- Food that has been left to ferment or decay unintentionally
Mouldy feed is especially dangerous.
FAO poultry guidance notes that ducks are particularly sensitive to aflatoxin contamination in feed.
So, if a bag of feed smells strange or shows signs of mould, do not try to save money by giving it to your birds.
How to Reduce Duck Feeding Costs in Nigeria
Feed costs can worry a new farmer.
One practical approach is to use locally available ingredients without sacrificing nutrition.
For example, farmers may combine appropriate commercial feed with suitable locally available grains, bran and green vegetables.
Ducks can also forage when the farming system allows it.
But be careful.
The goal is not simply to feed ducks with the cheapest ingredients.
The goal is to get the best value from every naira spent on feed.
If poor-quality feed causes slow growth, disease or low egg production, the money saved on feed may be lost somewhere else.
Conclusion
Feeding ducks in Nigeria does not have to be difficult.
The basic idea is simple:
Give them balanced feed, clean water and safe supplementary foods.
Commercial feed can provide a reliable nutritional base, while maize, rice bran, vegetables, grains and suitable natural foods can complement the diet.
Most importantly, remember that the feeding programme should change as the duck grows.
A young duck needs nutrients for growth. A laying duck needs nutrients to support egg production.
And if you are just starting, don’t try to make everything complicated.
Start with good-quality feed, clean water and proper management. Learn as your flock grows.
If you have not yet started your farm, read our guide on How to Start Duck Farming in Nigeria: 7 Powerful Steps for Beginners.
You can also learn more about poultry production through the FAO poultry production resources and the FAO’s integrated agriculture-aquaculture guide.
For farmers interested in producing their own feed, it is also wise to speak with a qualified animal nutritionist before changing the diet of a large flock.