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What Do Silver Appleyard Ducks Eat?
Silver Appleyards are known to be excellent foragers, but foraging alone is not enough to meet their nutritional needs. To support healthy growth, egg production, and overall health, Silver Appleyard ducks need a balanced diet that includes duck feed, natural forage, and occasional treats like lettuce, frozen peas, or cracked corn.
Different nutrients are important at different stages of life. Most ducks require feed that is high in protein and contains added niacin. In this guide, we explain what a healthy Silver Appleyard diet looks like and how to feed them properly as they grow.
What Should a Silver Appleyard Duck’s Diet Look Like?
While there are many feeding options available, a healthy Silver Appleyard diet usually includes 3 main components.
Their diet typically includes:
- 80-90% specially formulated duck feed
- 5-10% natural forage, such as insects and grass
- 5-10% treats like fruits and vegetables
Duck feed should make up the majority of their diet because it provides the nutrients ducks need to stay healthy and productive. Foraging and treats add variety and additional nutrients, but they should only be a small portion of the overall diet. Too many treats can lead to nutritional imbalances and health problems.
What Makes Up a Healthy Silver Appleyard Duck Diet?
| Nutrient | Approx. Share of Daily Diet | Common Food Sources |
| Protein | 15-20% of the total diet, depending on age | Duck pellets, layer feed, mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, peas, soy meal |
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) | Around 55-70 mg per kg of feed | Brewer’s yeast, duck starter feed, peas, fish meal, whole grains |
| Calcium | About 3-4% for laying ducks, about 1% for non layers | Crushed oyster shell, eggshells, layer pellets, leafy greens |
| Grit | Small free choice supplement, not a large portion of the diet | Insoluble granite grit, small pebbles, coarse sand |
| Water | Constant access, ducks drink large amounts daily | Fresh, clean drinking water, shallow containers deep enough for bill dunking |
Understanding these nutrients helps ensure your ducks receive a balanced diet. While many foods can provide these nutrients, the goal is to maintain balance, so ducks get what they need without creating nutritional imbalances.
High Protein Foods
Protein plays a major role in duck growth and development. It supports muscle growth, feather development, egg production, and overall health. If you’re raising ducks for meat, feeds containing about 18–20% protein are usually recommended. For laying ducks, 16–18% protein is typically sufficient.
Most commercial duck feeds are designed for different growth stages, making it easier to provide the right amount of protein as ducks mature.
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, supports bone development, metabolism, and strong leg growth. Without enough niacin, ducks can develop leg weakness or slipped tendons. Silver Appleyard ducks require more niacin than chickens, which is one reason duck-specific feed is strongly recommended.
Calcium
Calcium supports strong bones and healthy egg production. While all ducks need some calcium, laying ducks require significantly more to produce strong eggshells and prevent reproductive issues like egg binding.
Grit for Digestion
Grit becomes important when ducks eat foods other than commercial feed. Ducks use grit in their gizzard to grind food and aid digestion. It is especially important if your ducks eat grains, plants, or forage outdoors.
Constant Access to Fresh Water
Fresh water is an essential part of any duck’s diet. Ducks use water to swallow food, aid digestion, and clean their bills while eating. They should always have access to clean water that is deep enough for them to dunk their bills.
What Should You Feed Silver Appleyard Ducks at Each Stage of Life?
As mentioned earlier, ducks need different nutrient levels as they grow. Protein requirements change as they develop.
| Stage of Development | Feed Type | %Protein |
| 0-3 Weeks | High-Protein Waterfowl Starter Feed | 20-21% Protein |
| 4-12 Weeks | Lower-Protein Waterfowl Grower Feed | 16-18% Protein |
| 12+ Weeks | Waterfowl Maintenance Feed or Layer Feed Once Laying Begins | 15% Protein |
Starter feed supports rapid early growth, while grower and maintenance feeds contain slightly lower protein levels that better match the needs of older ducks.
What Do Silver Appleyard Ducks Like to Eat?
Silver Appleyards thrive on a balanced diet of duck feed that provides protein, niacin, and other essential nutrients. Because they are natural foragers, they also enjoy a variety of treats and natural foods such as:
- Peas
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Corn
- Slugs
- Snails
- Worms
- Grasses
- Dandelions
- Clover
- Zucchini
- Cucumber
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Bananas
- Mealworm
- Crickets
- Oats
These foods can provide variety and enrichment, but they should only make up a small portion of the overall diet. Duck feed should remain the primary food source.
What Do Silver Appleyard Ducks Eat in Winter?
In winter, Silver Appleyards burn more calories to stay warm. In some cases, they may even slow or stop egg production to conserve energy.
However, there are certain winter care tips that you can follow to ensure they keep laying eggs, including adding some things to their diet alongside their usual feed, like:
- Calcium: Crushed oyster shell, eggshells, layer pellets, leafy greens
- Protein Snacks: Peas, oats, mealworms,
- High-Fat Treats: Seeds, nuts, peanuts
Fresh water is especially important in winter, so make sure their water does not freeze. These additions can help provide extra energy during colder months.
What Should You Never Feed Silver Appleyard Ducks?
Certain foods should be avoided because they provide little nutritional value or may cause health issues.
These include:
- Bread
- Crackers
- Chips
- Popcorn
- Processed Junk Food
- Raw Beans
- Avocado
- Chocolate
- Caffiene
- Citrus Fruits
- Onions
- Garlic
- Raw Potatoes
- Green Tomatoes
How Much Should You Feed Silver Appleyard Ducks Per Day?
Because Silver Appleyards are active and enjoy foraging, they typically eat around 4–8 ounces of feed per day, with slightly more during colder months.
How Many Times Should You Feed a Silver Appleyard Duck Per Day?
Free feeding is often recommended because ducks tend to graze throughout the day and rarely overeat. If you prefer scheduled feeding, offering feed twice per day usually works well.
What is the Best Feed for Silver Appleyard Ducks?
The best feed for Silver Appleyard ducks is starter, grower, or maintenance feed designed specifically for waterfowl. These feeds provide the proper levels of protein, niacin, and other nutrients needed at each stage of development.
Starter feeds provide higher protein levels to support young ducklings. Grower feeds contain slightly less protein for developing ducks. Maintenance or layer feeds provide balanced nutrition for adult ducks.
Shirlock Acres offers starter, grower, and maintenance duck feed options designed to provide Silver Appleyard ducks with the protein and niacin they need throughout their lives.
