where i work we have a group of ducks that come to breed we r not allowed to feed them however last year a single drake came to the flat roof of our building in early feb i couldnt help but feed him he stayed for nearly two months coming every morning for his breakfast of tuna sanswiches and bread, then left i guess to breed. this morning he came back a yr exactly and was quaking at the window where i used to feed him i gave him some bread but have now mixed up ready break, porriage and bread to give him in the morn am i doing the right thing ? or am i harming him ?
2007-02-19 05:39:20 · 13 answers · asked by leoduckbaby 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
just read all the replys ok im losing the bread he wasnt a baby when he came but he comes two months earlier than the rest of them i think last yr was a bad timing by him or maybe he gets the best pick of the hens ! he knew me i know how it sounds but it was like a cat all i had to say was mr quacky he comes wadling plus the area doesnt have a pond there have come for years id never touch him or try to i just love ducks and as for bird flu plz hes harmless thank u all for ya help
2007-02-19 06:05:25 · update #1
plus again sorry ! he is not tagged he finds food the rest of the day somewhere else but i always instuct my workmates to give him a bit of food if im off which they love doing guess im just a big softie
2007-02-19 06:09:30 · update #2
smokyjo u r just an asshole i didnt want those sort of answers thanks
2007-02-19 06:43:22 · update #3
When wild ducks are fed human food such as bread their organs become engorged and fatty, which can cause them to suffer from heart disease, liver problems and other health complications.
Waterfowl at artificial feeding sites are often found to suffer from poor nutrition. In a natural setting they will seek out a variety of nutritious foods such as aquatic plants, natural grains, and invertebrates. Bread is very low in protein, contains additives that wildfowl aren't built to cope with, and it's a very poor substitute for natural foods.
Natural food is usually available over a wide area. At some artificial feeding sites, competition for each crust is high. Some ducks and geese (usually the youngest) are unable to compete for handouts. Ducks become unnaturally aggressive towards each other and a nuisance to humans.
Feeding will also create unnaturally high populations of waterfowl at a pond, and diseases generally not transmissible in the wild will flourish in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
2007-02-19 05:45:23 · answer #1 · answered by sugarplum9903 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋
You need to feed the right diet. Bread is not a good diet for a duck. Lots of people put up feeders to feed songbirds during the winter months, so really don't see how this is any different. Birds can have a hard time finding food in the winter, so a little help can be the difference between survival and death. The bird will know instinctively when it is time to leave. Feeding wild birds is a lot different than feeding wild mammals. Feeding wild mammals is NOT a good thing and should never be done.
2007-02-19 07:23:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would probably be more healty for you to feed him more natural food. Best to do a little research on the particular type of duck and see what they would eat in the wild.
But saying that, as long as your not feeding him too much I wouldn't have thought it would be that bad.#
Happy feeding.
2007-02-19 05:47:41 · answer #3 · answered by Fred 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, wild ducks have their own way of living. they can find food somewhere else. that is their natural habitat. you might be harming it, but at the same time you are doing the right thing from a kind soul. in my opinion, you should see if there is a tag on it or not. if there is you should not feed it because that means what they are being located by scientists, but if it is not tagged, i guess it is ok to feed it. but it might make the bird lazy because it is NTO finding its own food, and since you are feeding it, what if you move, the bird might forget how to find food, or might have a VERY difficult time..though i think you are doing the right thing. WAY TO GO!
2007-02-19 05:45:24 · answer #4 · answered by Karan 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Hiya, No you are not doing anything wrong, you are just making sure he is fed each day, he will get nutrients from the algae in the pond. He must be very clever to come back to you this year.
2007-02-19 05:58:15 · answer #5 · answered by kevina p 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you could be harming him...not everything is good for ducks. especially tuna. yes they eat fish, but they add stuff to the tuna or something. anyways if you are going to feed him, i'd say to just give him bread to make sure you don't make him sick. oh and by the way that's pretty cool that he came back a year exactly...good luck!
2007-02-19 05:45:53 · answer #6 · answered by danca4life 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Bread and such food is not meant for ducks. It will swell in their stomachs as well as deposit fat. Bread also has no nutrients for them, so basically it like they are eating junk food all the time.
If you want to feed this duck, please feed it wild bird seed mix. They love it and it is good for them.
Just be warned, feeding one duck means that year after year more and more ducks will come.
2007-02-19 05:57:18 · answer #7 · answered by allyalexmch 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Your intentions are good, but your hurting him. He could die in the wild if you are feeding him. It makes him dependant on someone to always feed him.
2007-02-19 05:53:25 · answer #8 · answered by Starshine 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
no harm....might get you in trouble for feeding the ducks...no harm to the duck though.
2007-02-19 05:43:53 · answer #9 · answered by Carolina Gentleman 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You're worried about harming him! What if he has bird flu?! Stop feeding him...immediately!
2007-02-19 05:51:11 · answer #10 · answered by pink_mayfly 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋