Heading off to the park and feeding the dusks is a much favoured activity for young children (and some older ones too) but actually, feeding bread to them is not the ideal choice. The bread quickly breaks down in the water so a lot sinks to the bottom uneaten and can cause problems in the water including algal blooms (where the water can in effect, become poisonous) and increases the risk of avian flu spreading. Also, any uneaten bread left on the bank attracts vermin such as rats which can carry some rather nasty diseases.
Bread is also bad for ducks and they will eat bread at the expense of a better, more varied, natural diet. It seems too much starch is as bad for duck waistlines as it is for our own.
However, this doesn't mean you can't go and feed the ducks, you just need to alter what you feed them. Here are some alternatives that the ducks will love and won't cause as many problems as bread.
- Sweetcorn - tinned, defrosted or fresh
- Defrosted frozen peas (no need to cook them)
- Seeds - either ones sold for bird food or any seeds form your local supermarket
- Cooked rice - a great way to use up any leftovers from a meal, just make sure it doesn't contain any meat.
- Chopped up lettuce - especially those outer leaves you usually throw away
- Halved grapes
- Duck food
As for what to do with that stale bread, look out for a future post on things you can do with is rather than feeding the ducks or chucking it in the bin.
Do you feed the ducks - do you know any other titbits they like? And here is blog I wrote about how else to use stale bread and how to stop it going stale in the first place.
I am guilty of feeding ducks bread.
ReplyDeleteThese are great ideas.
Me too but it's nice to know there are some better alternatives.
DeleteGreat advice! I didn't now about the other kitchen foods, saves buying expensive prepped foods from the garden centre, thanks!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely.
DeleteGreat ideas here, I usually use seeds. I had never thought of things like sweetcorn. x
ReplyDeleteNor me until I read up what was good for ducks. Daft really as we used to feed our own ducks dried maize!
DeleteOoh I never knew this, I suppose it makes sense though, break makes me so bloated so why would ducks be any different great tips Rosie thank you x
ReplyDeleteVery true.
DeleteI've been planning to write a similar post for ages! It's important to spread the word that bread isn't the best for ducks. Great tips on what to feed them instead!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds! DO let me know if you write the post.
DeleteWould love to feed the ducks even though I'm a bit scared of them ;) Such a chicken, right? ... Loving the new blog design by the way :) #animaltales
ReplyDeleteHa ha - I'm OK with ducks, it's geese I'm scared of. Glad you like the new blog and thank you.
DeleteI can't stand to watch people feed bread to ducks...this is a great list of alternatives! And your blog makeover looks great :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenn - I had only planned a bit of a change but then decided to go the whole hog with a new name and new look.
DeleteHey, happy new Blog to you, I love the new look and linky ideas!
ReplyDeleteI see all this grain and gluten free food for the dogs, so I am not surprised to read it applies to ducks, although I have learned something with you list of food, would never have taken frozen peas!
Wren x
I believe it is not the gluten in the bread that causes problem but the fact that the ducks simply cannot absorb the nutrients from bread so it is the duck equivalent of feeding them sweets - a quick sugar high and no nutritional value.
DeleteI saw that list recently and didn't realise ducks would eat half the things on it! I usually tell people to stick with seeds. Actually walking today I noticed a couple of new signs up asking people not to feed them bread :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent news about the signs :)
DeleteI haven't fed the ducks for years, but if i was to now, i'd take fruit with me, having seen how they feed the birds in South Africa
ReplyDeleteI can't remember when I last fed them either and all stale bread gets made into croutons or bread and butter pudding.
DeleteThey had to put a sign up at the lake by us not to feed the ducks/geese. We were over run and they were polluting the lake so that people couldn't swim. It's all so much calmer now that most of the people have stopped. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWe actually knew this and we don't feed the ducks bread. I've got a bag of special feed we get from our local hardware shop, he sells it because we live next to the local pond and the river. Handy for people to know though, if they didn't. #animaltales (sorry I'm late in commenting!)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have thought of feeding lettuce and cooked rice to ducks
ReplyDeleteOur local park with a pond has big signs all over the place saying not to feed the ducks bread. And we specifically took my 2 boys down their to feed them with bread.. So your info is good to know for next time. :) Thanks for sharing with #wastelesswednesday
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list of alternatives! I've pinned it! Thanks for sharing on the #wastelesswednesday blog hop!
ReplyDelete