What to Feed Ducks – What Not To Feed Ducks

What to feed ducks is surely a challenging task especially if you’re not a birder or biologist. While you plan to spend some time in your local park with waterfowls or some other birds, you must be aware of the correct diet plan of these ducks. For the reason that ducks almost ingest anything because of their opportunistic nature, you should not be feeding everything to them. Besides, every duck has its own diet requirement that varies from species to species; feeding the same food to several birds is certainly not a good idea. This article will let you know the correct info about what to feed ducks.

what to feed ducks - feeding ducks — Feeding Ducks

What To Feed Ducks in the Park

You don’t expect ducks to eat anything you feed them. Feed them what they need rather than what you want them to eat! Many bird feeding myths especially relating to ducks tend to escalate in the recent times. One of these myths holds that ‘Feeding birds inhibit their migration’. Unfortunately, people start to believe these speculations more readily than anything else even though there is no evidence to support this assumption. Unlike few, most duck species are the permanent residents and whether you feed them or not they will remain there.

Bear in mind that the best food for ducks means that it is composed of minerals and vitamins that are necessary for the ducks nourishment. If you got a list of feeding items you don’t need to ask anyone about what to feed ducks! Poultry pellets also form an essential part of the ducks diet. Here is a list of items that are embedded with the aforementioned nutrients.

Wheat
Barley
Oats
Milo
Birdseed
Grapes (cut in half)
Frozen peas or corn (defrosted)
Earthworms
Chopped lettuce
Vegetable trimmings or peels (chopped)
Grains

What Not to Feed Ducks

One of the most common myths regarding feeding ducks is that people often feed unhealthy or inhumane food to the ducks. Amongst which bread, popcorn, donuts, crackers, and chips are the most common. Never feed these junk foods to waterfowls. One of the prime reasons is that they have little or no nutritional value whatsoever; other reasons are specified as follows:

Malnutrition

Excessive bread-feeding to the ducks lead to the unnecessary weight as well as malnutrition apart from other health problems. It goes without saying that bread offers carbohydrates it absolutely lacks nutritional value.

Increase Diseases

Bread contains high quantity of carbohydrates which can end up in so many infections such as lung infection (aspergillosis) or defecation and avian botulism.

Pest Attraction

Feeding excessive quantity of bread means giving invitation to the pests like rats, mice and other animals that might spread out diseases to humans.

what to feed ducks - boy feeding ducks — Boy Feeding Ducks

How To Feed Ducks

Apart from learning as to what to feed ducks, you should know the tips regarding how to feed these waterfowls. It’s very important because an improper feeding might end up in a birds’ turmoil. The ducks must be fed up a reasonable quantity of food therefore; bringing loads of nutrients would not help these ducks. Besides, you need to follow all these instructions before feeding:

Never feed ducks if they are disinterested.
While feeding, do not come too close to the ducks since few birds might be aggressive by nature.
Discard all the wastes or trash property and do not let these birds eat.
Keep away your children while you’re feeding ducks.

Well, now you’re aware of what to feed ducks? The same procedure follows about what to feed wild ducks and what to feed domestic ducks. Go out and enjoy the ducks’ company at your local park.