Jicama is a delicious, crunchy vegetable that I used to grow in my garden. Although it may not be known to some, it has a distinct starchy taste and has many health benefits.
It contains many nutrients and antioxidants while it is also low in calories, which makes it a great healthy option. The benefits don’t stop
It is not only healthy for humans but also beneficial for animals and birds. Which encourages me to introduce it to my ducks. I find them happy with it and rush to eat it due to its distinctive taste, which combines crunch with sweetness and gives them hydration at the same time because it contains a large amount of water.
Jicama is a root vegetable that often grows in hot climates and has a long growing season of up to 9 months. But it is often easy to cultivate and does not require complicated matters.
But how suitable is it to be part of the diet of ducks? Let’s explain in the coming lines more details about Jicama and learn about its nutritional benefits for ducks.
Is it completely safe for ducks, or are there restrictions related to the way it is fed to ducks? Let’s delve into these details:
Can Ducks Eat Jicama?
Yes, ducks can eat jicama. Jicama is a root vegetable that contains a lot of nutrients that ducks can benefit from. However, you should avoid feeding them the skin, leaves, or seeds of the jicama plant, as it contains a toxic substance called rotenone which is usually used to kill insects and fish. It is also extremely harmful to ducks!
Jicama is one of the foods that may not be known to some, but it is one of the useful foods that are used in eating humans and animals. Jicama is a starchy vegetable that tastes similar to potatoes but has a slightly sweeter taste.
It is often referred to as Mexican kale because it is native to Mexico. It contains antioxidants and inulin fiber, which is added to our foods to improve digestion.
Jicama is also used in some pet foods such as dog food because it provides them with a good source of fiber and inulin, which helps them improve digestion.
Jicama Nutritional Facts
Jicama contains important vitamins and minerals. In addition, it contains a large amount of fiber, which makes it a useful and healthy food for ducks. [1]
US Department of Agriculture One serving of 100 grams of raw jicama contains:
- 38 calories
- 8.82 gm carbohydrates
- 1.80 grams of sugar
- 0.09 grams of fat
- 0.72 grams of protein
- 4.90 grams of fiber
- 150 mg of potassium
- 12 mg calcium
- 20.20 mg of vitamin C
Health Benefits Of Feeding Jicama To Ducks
There are 3 main benefits, which are:
- Moisturizing.
- Improve Digestion.
- Prevent Sickness And Disease
Moisturizing
Ducks love water and need it in abundance, as ducks pass on the water much more than chickens because they need to hydrate constantly. Since jicama contains a high amount of water, it will be a good source of hydration.
Therefore, adding jicama to the ducks’ diet will help them get adequate hydration and prevent dehydration.
Improve Digestion
Jicama is a high-fiber root vegetable. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, the duck’s digestive system cannot digest it. It helps to improve digestion in ducks.
Fiber works to facilitate the passage of stool and push it through the digestive system, and it also works to increase the volume of stool, which facilitates its passage out of the digestive system.
Prevent Sickness And Disease
Jicama is a root vegetable rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that improve immunity and prevent disease. Antioxidants perform important functions in preventing free radicals from causing damage to ducks’ body cells.
What Parts Of Jicama Are Safe For Ducks?
Only the flesh part that is under the peel of jicama is safe for the duck. The leaves, seeds, and skin of the jicama plant should not be given to your ducks because it contains rotenone, a toxin harmful to birds.
If ducks eat a small amount of poison it causes them to have digestive problems. But if the quantities are large, it will be fatal to the ducks.
If you have jicama in your garden, be careful not to let the ducks get close to it. To ensure that the ducks do not get to the jicama, you can cover the plant with chicken wire to prevent them from eating it.
How Do You Serve Jicama To Your Ducks?
As we mentioned, only the flesh part should be offered to the ducks, as it is the safe part for them that contains nutrients and does not contain any harmful toxins. Therefore, jicama should be prepared first before serving it to ducks.
If you grow it in your garden, you have to remove the leaves and only take the fruits. If you buy it from the store, you will probably only get the roots.
Wash the jicama thoroughly to remove any dirt and pesticides, then with a sharp knife carefully peel off the skin, leaving no bits behind. You will have to remove all of the skin entirely because the skin contains rotenone, which is harmful to ducks.
After washing the jicama fruits, set them aside, then take another clean knife to cut them into smaller pieces so that the ducks can easily eat them.
Now jicama is ready to be served to your ducks. You can serve it as is or mix it with other duck foods such as vegetables and fruits to make a delicious and nutritious salad. Also, you can cook it and serve it to the ducks.
It’s up to you. But its raw, fresh form is still more beneficial to ducks.
Put on your consideration If the jicama skin cracks and comes into contact with any of the other foods in the store bag, you should not give this food to your ducks, as part of the toxic substance in the jicama skin may have leached onto it.
Can Jicama Be Given To Ducklings?
Yes, baby chickens can eat jicama, but not until they are 3 weeks old. It is not recommended for ducklings before this age as their digestive system is not very developed during the first few weeks of life. So if the ducklings eat jicama it could cause problems and disturbances such as crop impaction.
Therefore, the ducklings should be fed their diet consisting of starter feed. Then delay the jicama once the chicks are about 3 weeks old then you can offer it to them but you have to cut it into small pieces to prevent choking and impaction of the crop.
It is recommended to give the ducklings plenty of grits when feeding them jicama, as it will help them loosen the jicama.
The Right Amount Of Jicama For Ducks
Ducks are very voracious for fruits, especially fruits, and vegetables that contain water. So
When feeding jicama to your ducks, don’t offer large portions, as the ducks will gobble it all up and this may lead to an upset stomach and diarrhea because it has a high water content.
So, for your ducks to benefit from the nutrients in jicama in moderation, you should serve jicama in reasonable amounts.
You can serve a slice of jicama to each duck so that the number of slices is equal to the number of ducks so that each duck gets its share in moderation. If you have ducklings, you can offer them small pieces of jicama, enough for them to taste and enjoy.
How Often Should Jicama Be Served To Ducks?
Jicama is used as a treat only for ducks, meaning that it is a kind of reward and entertainment for the ducks, in addition to their basic share of feed. It should not replace their diet, as it does not contain sufficient nutrition to support the health and fattening of the ducks.
Therefore jicama should only be fed to ducks in moderation so that jicama only makes up no more than 10% of their entire diet. Jicama should be offered to ducks once or twice a week at most.
The rest of their diet should come in the form of high-quality commercial feed, which is formulated with appropriate portions of nutrients to meet the nutritional needs of the ducks.
