As you may have noticed by now one of my favourite things to do is go and feed the ducks. When housebound and on crutches, all I wanted to do was go to the park and just feed the ducks. I remember one day I was just so sad my mum managed to get me to the park, but all I could do was just sit on a bench and hope the ducks came to me. That's when I added it to my bucket list and at least once a month I'll go and feed the ducks.
As many people do when they are young they go to the park as a family and feed the ducks. For generations, people, including myself have fed them bread. Pictured below me as a child feeding a goose bread and getting bitten in the process. But as time has gone on research has shown that bread, in fact, causes many an issue including the following:-
Attracting rats and vermin, which then can go onto eat chicks eggs.
If left uneaten can become mouldy and cause damage and algae in the water, harming pond life.
In certain species of birds, it can cause disease in their wings, making them unable to fly.
These are just a few reasons not to feed them bread, but there are many more. Also when feeding ducks, spread where you go to, don't follow the crowds. Ducks should learn to defend for themselves and not be reliant on humans for food. So go out and about choose places where ducks may not get as fed as much.
What do I feed them I hear you cry?
Seeds-most supermarkets sell huge bags for around £3/4 and last forever.
Oats
Scraps of salad, such as lettuce and cucumber.
Frozen peas and sweetcorn, defrosted.
Mealworms and earthworms
These options are a lot healthier for the ducks and give them tons of nutrition. So please when you go out, do not take that mouldy bread with you to feed the ducks. Choose better and help keep those ducks strong and healthy. For more information follow the link below to the RSPB website.