A diet for a wild duck generally consists of aquatic plants and animals, as well as some insects. Ducks have a bill that is designed for filtering food from water, which is why they primarily eat things like small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Domestic ducks however, eat pellets, grains, seeds and mealworms with some additional treats such as fruits and vegetables. But, can ducks eat pinto beans?
Yes, ducks can eat pinto beans, but they have to be cooked first because raw pinto beans contain hemagglutinin, which is toxic to ducks.
Giving ducks healthy treats can be very beneficial for ducks and in this article we will deep dive into ducks eating pinto beans.
How Many Pinto Beans Can a Duck Eat?
Even tho pinto beans holds great health benefits for ducks, it’s always good that they eat it in moderation. When giving ducks treats it should not be more than 10% of the regular diet. That being said, ducks should not eat pinto beans every day because it contains a lot of calories.
Domestic ducks needs ducks feed to make sure that they are getting all the nutrients they need and pinto beans should only be given after they’ve eating their regular meal. Pinto beans should only be given as a treat and not replace any meals.
If you want to feed pinto beans to wild ducks, then make sure to not give them too much since more people might already have given the duck treats and feeding them to much might cause some health issues.
Pinto Beans Nutritional Value
Pinto beans are packed with nutrients and has a good mix of carbs, protein and fiber. Below are the nutritional value of one cup.
- Calories: 245
- Carbs: 45 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
- Protein: 15 grams
There are also several healthy vitamins and minerals in pinto beans.
- Sodium
- Thiamine
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
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Are Pinto Beans Healthy for Ducks?
Pinto beans are very healthy for ducks because they are good mix of carbs, protein and fiber. They also contains many great vitamins and minerals that can benefit the ducks health. Since the pinto beans are high in calories it should only be fed in moderation in addition to their overall diet.
With all vitamins and minerals in pinto beans, eating them can improve heart health, gut health and reduce inflammation for ducks. Thanks to all the antioxidants found in pinto beans, they can also help protect cell damage.
Do Ducks Like Pinto Beans?
Most ducks will love pinto beans, when I give ducks pinto beans they normally go crazy over them and quacking with happiness. That being said, just like us humans some ducks might not enjoy them as much as other ducks. Before making to much pinto beans you can just try to feed them a few just to see their reaction.
How To Feed Pinto Beans To Ducks
Whether you are feeding your own domestic ducks or wild ducks at the park, there is good to know how to feed them. When it comes to pinto beans, it’s important to always cook the bean before feeding them to the ducks. Raw Pinto contains hemagglutinin, which is toxic to ducks and good way to be sure the pinto beans is safe to feed the ducks is to preferably overcook them.
You can then just feed them directly to the ducks or put them in water so it’s easier for them to reach. Ducks don’t chew their food so putting the pinto beans in water will make it easier for the ducks to eat them since they can filter the water and just swallow the delicious beans.
Just as a reminder again, if you are at the park, keep in mind that the ducks might have already been given treats so always feed them in moderation and make sure the beans are cooked.
Foods Ducks Shouldn’t Eat
You might have some food over and think that it could be an great treat for ducks, but it’s good to know what ducks shouldn’t eat, because if you give them the wrong foods it might cause health issues for the ducks.
Bread is a common treat that many give ducks, but you would not make the duck a favor giving them bread, because it holds no nutritional value and only make the duck full. This can lead to the duck not eating their regular diet, hence making them sick.
Citrus fruits is thought to prevent ducks calcium absorption, making their egg shells more fragile.
Fruits with seeds such as apples where the seeds contains amygdalin, which turns into cyanide when digested. It’s very toxic for ducks. Always make sure to remove the seeds before feeding to apples to ducks.
Make sure to always do you research before feeding ducks new treats.
More Vegetables Ducks Can Eat
There are many vegetables that ducks can eat, which is healthy for them such as:
Conclusion
Giving ducks pinto beans is a healthy and tasty treat that can improve their health when given in moderation. If overfeeding ducks with pinto beans, they can become overweight because they are so rich in calories.
Giving ducks treats in addition to their regular diet is a great way to keep ducks happy and giving them new taste experiences. There is nothing better than hearing happy quacks when the ducks eats a treat they love.
If you are at the park feeding ducks, then remember to restrictive because many people might have been feeding them before you do, otherwise it might become unhealthy for them. Wild ducks are excellent scavengers for food and they will anything in and around water.
Thanks for reading, take care!
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational purposes only. I'm not an expert or a veterinarian.
