Feeding The Ducks

[Nantzie]

We have really pretty bike trails that wind through the wetlands near our house. The other day a family was feeding bread to the ducks and it got me wondering.

Does anyone know, with all the alternative flours we use, if there are potential problems with feeding ducks or geese gluten-free bread? I'm guessing bread isn't terribly healthy for them in the first place, but I'm just wanting to make sure it wouldn't harm them. I'd hate to do it and find that soy flour is known to cause serious problems or something.

Nancy

[gfp]

We have really pretty bike trails that wind through the wetlands near our house. The other day a family was feeding bread to the ducks and it got me wondering.

Does anyone know, with all the alternative flours we use, if there are potential problems with feeding ducks or geese gluten-free bread? I'm guessing bread isn't terribly healthy for them in the first place, but I'm just wanting to make sure it wouldn't harm them. I'd hate to do it and find that soy flour is known to cause serious problems or something.

Nancy

Just off the top of my head from instinct ... I don't see any problems why though I can't imagine soy flour would do them much good.

[2Boys4Me]

We went to a bird sanctuary a couple of weeks ago with Beavers (pre-scouts) and the wildlife intstructor there said all bread is bad for ducks. She suggested dried corn.

Of course, now I can't remember why it's bad, just that she said dried corn is best.

[confused]

We went to a bird sanctuary a couple of weeks ago with Beavers (pre-scouts) and the wildlife intstructor there said all bread is bad for ducks. She suggested dried corn.

Of course, now I can't remember why it's bad, just that she said dried corn is best.

If you feed ducks here you get an ticket. Bread makes ducks bloat.

paula

[Nantzie]

The dried corn sounds much more fun, actually. Maybe we'll do that instead. And I'll be able to keep some on hand in my backpack without worrying that it will go bad. I'll check to see if there are any local regulations about feeding ducks here too.

Thanks guys.

Nancy

[2kids4me]

Do not feed ducks bread. They eat seeds and vegetation. Bread will kill them eventually.

Regulations exist because feeding wildlife - be it squirrels, birds or anything else habituates them to humans and it is not their natural diet. Yes, its fun and cute but we in the vet field refer to it as "killing with kindness". They then rely on handouts from people and geese in particular become quite aggressive - attacking people for food.

Please don't feed the birds.

Some information for all:

The colorful Mallards and other wild ducks you see on many lakes and ponds have bodies that allow them to fly. They are physically designed to eat natural foods growing in their environment to stay healthy and light for flight. Sometimes a specially formulated duck food is provided to them, but only under strict supervision of park officials, when wild ducks are in a man-made setting or natural foods are not available. When wild ducks are fed human foods their organs become engorged and fatty on the inside and they quickly die from malnutrition, heart disease, liver problems and other health complications. An overfed, malnutritioned duck is sluggish and can't escape from predators. Feeding wild ducks adversely affects natural migration patterns, which are critical for their ongoing survival.

Ducks become unnaturally aggressive towards each other and a nuisance to humans. They lose their fear and will cross a busy highway to get to people with potential handouts. They die in greater numbers than most people realize because a dead or dying duck is preyed on before the body is found by humans.

Open Original Shared Link

To feed wild birds human food is akin to someone else intentionally glutening us and not understanding how sick we get. Many people do not understand how sick it makes the birds, they only see how cute it is........

sandy

[Nantzie]

Do not feed ducks bread. They eat seeds and vegetation. Bread will kill them eventually.

Regulations exist because feeding wildlife - be it squirrels, birds or anything else habituates them to humans and it is not their natural diet. Yes, its fun and cute but we in the vet field refer to it as "killing with kindness". They then rely on handouts from people and geese in particular become quite aggressive - attacking people for food.

Please don't feed the birds.

Some information for all:

To feed wild birds human food is akin to someone else intentionally glutening us and not understanding how sick we get. Many people do not understand how sick it makes the birds, they only see how cute it is........

sandy

Never thought about the killing with kindness and them becoming dependant on handouts aspect. Totally true. We won't feed them. Thanks for letting us know.

We have a fish hatchery a few miles away where they provide food for you to feed the fish. When the kids want to feed something, we'll go there.

Nancy

[Canadian Karen]

See, even ducks have Celiac disease!

Karen

[ravenwoodglass]

See, even ducks have Celiac disease!

Karen

Sure does sound like it huh?

"Ducks become unnaturally aggressive towards each other and a nuisance to humans. They lose their fear and will cross a busy highway to get to people with potential handouts. They die in greater numbers than most people realize because a dead or dying duck is preyed on before the body is found by humans."

Sounds like a gluten fog and aggressive episode to me.

[2kids4me]

We have a fish hatchery a few miles away where they provide food for you to feed the fish. When the kids want to feed something, we'll go there.

Absolutely - it is a LOT of fun, we have done that with the kids.

Sounds like a gluten fog and aggressive episode to me.

[lonewolf]

"When wild ducks are fed human foods their organs become engorged and fatty on the inside and they quickly die from malnutrition, heart disease, liver problems and other health complications. An overfed, malnutritioned duck is sluggish and can't escape from predators."

How interesting! Sounds like a large percentage of our human population. Maybe no one should be eating "human foods", at least not the way our modern culture eats them.

[2kids4me]

How interesting! Sounds like a large percentage of our human population. Maybe no one should be eating "human foods", at least not the way our modern culture eats them.

We could learn a lot from the animal kingdom, never seen one cook over an open fire, refine the food before eating or munch on a twinkie

We would not do well if we ate duck chow, or only ate grass and hay, or ate only meat. Each species has specific food requirements and digestive processes. Birds have gizzards and need to eat gravel for it to work, If we ate gravel, we 'd be assessed by a psychologist

Foods in their natural state that is natural for their species (human or bird) is what is best for that animal or bird.

Humans get into trouble by refining and processing and cooking and adding sugar and salt and preservatives. That kind of human food is problematic for everyone.

Sandy

[Nantzie]

Sure does sound like it huh?

"Ducks become unnaturally aggressive towards each other and a nuisance to humans. They lose their fear and will cross a busy highway to get to people with potential handouts. They die in greater numbers than most people realize because a dead or dying duck is preyed on before the body is found by humans."

Sounds like a gluten fog and aggressive episode to me.

[RiceGuy]

I was thinking of popcorn. Safe for both humans and birds I suppose (at least the non-GMO stuff should be). But as has been pointed out, feeding them causes a dependency of sorts. I have been wondering the same thing about bird feeders and bird houses. People think they are helping nature, but I just can't believe it's a good idea. I mean, what about the natural balance? For example, I heard ducks will remain through the winter instead of migrating if there's adequate food/water. So if one was to set up a pond for them to stay (thinking it would be a kind thing to do), that would probably attract predators, right? So therefore other animal species get into the picture, not just the few ducks we think it "helps". Also might the young of those birds not learn to migrate? The first winter when there isn't something supplied to them, what happens then?

[2kids4me]

Migratory birds that stay behind because food is being supplied - then rely on humans to feed them over the winter. Bird feeders, if set up ,must be supplied with wild bird seed and kept full - the birds do become dependent on them. In essence you have made wild birds - domesticated because they rely on humans.

Migratory birds finding their own food will leave as the food supply from summer /fall dwindles.

Wild ducks who over winter often interbreed with tame ducks creating hybrids.

By supplying food, the young do not learn how to fend for themselves. How many domesticated cats or dogs could hunt and survive if released to the wild? We end up with them starving and injured at our clinic. How many of these beautiful birds that are fed by humans never make it to the winter feeding grounds because their health was compromised - by us.

Wild animals / birds are just that - wild. They are not meant for our amusement - in terms of seeing how many we can get close to and feed. Its wonderful and educational to stop at a lake or pond and watch the birds, identify them etc., keep them wild and they will be able to come back next year and be healthy enough to reproduce.

Keep in mind as well - be it popcorn or whatever that is thrown to the birds - pollutes the water, fish dont eat popcorn.

Rotting food pollutes the water and breeds deadly diseases and parasites...