Can Ducks Eat Collard Greens? 🥬

Did you know that collard greens have more fiber than Brussels sprouts?

Although your ducks can eat collard greens, you should set the limits because the fiber from this vegetable (primarily stems) can be a problem for your duck’s digestive system.

We suggest boiling it first, cutting stems and leaves into tiny pieces, and then serving it to your ducks.

What Are Collard Greens?

Collard greens are from the same family as broccoli and cabbage.

These large and dark green leaves are full of vitamins and minerals that are good for our ducks. Vitamin K from collard greens is crucial for a duck’s healthy bones.

It will help in calcium absorption and strengthen your duck’s bones. You can be sure that this leafy and green vegetable is perfect as a snack for your ducks.

Are Collard Greens Healthy?

As we mentioned, vitamin K helps in calcium absorption, and it strengthens your duck’s bones significantly.

Other than that, even after a quick boil, vitamin C and minerals (Manganese, Calcium, Iron) are there, which will improve your ducks’ well-being.

Per 3.5oz (100gr) of boiled collard greens, your ducks still get 0.095 oz (2.7gr) of protein, Vitamin K, C, B3 (niacin), and minerals (Calcium, Manganese, Zinc, and more).

How to Feed Collard Greens to Ducks?

You can feed them after you boil collard greens a bit.

Of course, you can chop them and give them raw, but a quick wash and boil afterward is the safest way to feed them.

You could risk pesticides getting into your duck’s stomach if you give them raw. If you grow your own vegetable, then you don’t need to worry about pesticides.

It is optional, but you can also feed ducks with collard greens stems; just cut them into smaller pieces.

If you feel your ducks will struggle with stems, chop them. The tinier the pieces, the duck will digest more easily.

How Much Collard Greens Ducks Can Eat?

Always remember that the bulk of the duck’s diet should only be ducks feed pellet, corn, or other food made for ducks and ducklings.

Occasionally you can give them fruit or vegetable, but keep that under control.

Always know, that 10% of duck’s diet can replace vegetables like collard greens, but don’t give them more than that.

What about Baby Ducks?

Even though Collard green is full of vitamins and minerals, this vegetable contains 0.14oz (4gr) of fiber (more than cabbage), and it is not the easiest thing to digest for young ducklings.

You can give them a little bit; a few bites won’t hurt. But best practice is to avoid fruit and vegetables until they are four weeks old.

Focus on specially developed food for ducklings until that.

Final Words

This vegetable has almost everything your ducks need.

Vitamins, minerals, and fiber will surely strengthen the bones and eggshells and improve your duck’s digestive system.

When feeding collard greens to ducks, boil them first and chop them into small pieces to help them digest more easily.