Question by cool breeze: What are good things and bad things to feed wild ducks ?
I gave corn chips to a mallard duck couple and now they come every day for more. I’m kind of amazed when there are many people visiting that they pick me out of a crowd and follow me around until I give them some. What would be better for them ? I gave them corn based cereals also.
no,no park.. my apartment complex. I live near the river…the ducks are now coming to my door or follow me if I’m walking outside. I feel guilty if I don’t feed them but i don’t want to make them sick.
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
Birds of any species can not tolerate salt because they don’t have kidney’s.
Sounds as if you are visiting a public park or pond and most of those ducks are use to being fed bread which is OK but it doesn’t really have any nutritional value for them. When I visit one of our city parks I do feed bread but I like to take some grains like the ones I feed to my ducks and chickens and that is called “Scratch”. It is a mixed of cracked corn and milo. The ducks at our park are so use to bread it takes them a minute to decide to pick up the “Scratch” but once they eat some they then begin to Gobble it up.
The ducks I have raised do not eat bread and even turn their noses up at it because they prefer the grains. I also take the time to dice up fruits and vegetables to toss out for them which is as good for them as the “Scratch”.
Normally you can find “Scratch” at a Feed Store or you can go to some place like Big Lots or Wal Mart and pick up some Bird Seed but the “Scratch” is only about $ 8.00 for 50 lbs.
Just Q
December 27, 2012 at 6:47 am
Do not feed them food intended for humans; too much salt and sugar can really harm them. Just get some cracked corn from your local wild bird supply, hardware store, or farm supply/ feed store.
Pepe Silvia
December 27, 2012 at 7:20 am