If you have ever wondered if you can feed peas to ducks, then you need to read this article to the end.
Peas is a common household vegetable and they are very nutritious and good for humans.
Can ducks eat peas? Ducks eat peas as it contains a lot of nutrients and vitamins which are good for ducks. Peas is also easily available and can be gotten from local stores which makes it ideal for duck treats. However, peas contain a high amount of sugar and should only be given to ducks sparingly and mixed with their normal diet routine for a balanced diet.
What are the health benefits of peas?
Now that we know that you can feed your ducks peas, let us look at some of the nutrients and health benefits of peas
1. Peas is a great source of antioxidant for ducks
Antioxidants in ducks helps them combat diseases and reduces the occurrence of infections
Peas contains antioxidants that reduce the number of free radicals in the bird’s body leading to a reduction in infections and diseases.
2. Peas is a rich source of fiber
Fiber is very good for the digestion and digestive system of birds.
Once digested, it is fermented into fatty acid which then sits in the digestive tract of the birds and prevents the build up of potentially harmful bacteria.
It also helps their colon to recover from previous damages.
3. Peas is rich in protein
Protein is the building block that most birds need to grow healthy and develop especially in the early stages.
Protein helps to maintain and repair the cells and tissues of ducks.
It also helps to boost the immune system and aids in generating hormones and enzymes that are good for ducks
4. Peas is also a good source of Vitamins A, K, C and B1
Vitamin A is very important as it for humans and birds as it helps with the eyesight and repairs any eye damages
Vitamin A also helps to maintain strong immune systems and body functions
Vitamin K is a fat soluble mineral that helps in blood clotting
It also aids bone metabolism and supports the regulation of blood calcium levels.
As we all know about vitamin C, it is responsible for strong bones, feathers and moulting in birds.
While vitamin B1 helps to maintain the correct function of the nervous system, brain, muscles, heart, stomach, and intestines.
5. Peas is rich in folate and manganese
Finally peas are a rich source of folate (also called folic acid) and manganese which are both important antioxidants that help prevent the occurence of diseases and infections in ducks.
Manganese also helps in the formation of healthy and strong bones along with vitamin C and calcium
Check out my comprehensive guide I wrote on what do ducks eat?
Is there any risk to feeding ducks peas?
As much as we can see all the health benefits of peas, there is a negative side to feeding them peas that you should be aware of.
And that is the fact that feeding them with too much peas can lead to overweight of your birds.
Peas contains around 6% of sugar by weight, so you can see that it contains almost 60% of sugar content than most other fruits.
So you want to make sure that you feed them peas mixed with other foods making a balanced diet
In my opinion, peas should be fed to them as treats 2 or 3 times a week.
Can ducks eat frozen peas?
Ducks can eat frozen peas but I would recommend defrosting them first.
Frozen peas won’t cause any immediate harm to your duck, but your ducks will need to use more energy as the frozen peas will drain their heat.
Digesting frozen peas will also use more energy.
Combine that with the fact that your ducks probably won’t be as eager to eat frozen peas anyway due to the dampened flavor and unusual texture and it’s clear that whilst they technically can eat frozen peas, defrosting or cooking peas first is a much better way to feed them to your ducks.
Can ducks eat cooked peas?
Ducks will eat peas whether cooked or raw.
But you want to know that even though ducks can eat the husk, it is very fibrous and might be difficult to digest can eat cooked peas
This will make it so much easier to digest
Can ducks eat canned peas
Ducks can eat canned peas but you need to check for extra ingredients.
You should mainly check to make sure the canned peas haven’t had lots of added sugar or salt, although if you notice any other unusual added ingredients like flavorings then you might want to avoid them too.
The sugar should be below 6% and the salt should be extremely low, well below 1%.
Can ducks eat split peas?
Ducks can eat dried peas that have been split but in my opinion you want to make sure it is cooked first.
The truth is that they can eat them but it might be harder for them to digest and when this happens they might miss out on the nutrients that are available.
Can ducks eat pea pods?
Ducks can eat the pods and the husk of the peas
This is the part of peas that contains the most fibers and roughages and you want to ensure that they are properly cooked
This will ensure that your birds can digest them and they get all the required nutrients from them.
Conclusion
Ducks can eat peas as it is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals for them.
But you want to ensure that you feed them in moderation and make it part of their feeding routine.