To think it's OK to feed bread to ducks/swans/geese

[GerdaLovesLili]

Our local parks have slowly been putting up signs that suggest that the wild fowl are actively harmed by feeding them bread.

It means that feeding them is no longer a cheap activity.

However the Swan Sanctuary have put out a statement to say this isn't true, and "We strongly disagree with the idea that the campaign will improve the health of swans and other waterfowl. In fact, we believe it could actually have a detrimental effect on the waterfowl. The Sanctuary has evidence that when people stop feeding bread, to the birds, they quite often stop completely rather than substitute the bread with an alternative."

The full statement can be read here: www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/cause/swan-sanctuary-statement-ban-bread-campaign/

I don't think kids are really missing out on some major life experience if they can't feed bread to ducks. Kids love the zoo even though they're not allowed to feed the animals.

We’ve also struggled to feed the ducks and swans near us peas and cut up grapes! They turn their noses up! Very fussy ducks round here.

They do like duck food, which is fine till the massive geese arrive and scare the life out of me... I mean my dcs .

Most children would pick junk food over fruit and veg (except the MN children who love brussel sprouts and hate anything sweet obviously). That doesn’t mean that parents should only feed junk food “because that’s what they prefer!”

I’m sure a sanctuary can feed bread as part of a balanced diet. But wild birds don’t have someone making sure they get a balanced diet and if idiots keep throwing bread at them they’ll eat that in preference to healthier food, so they aren’t getting the balanced diet the sanctuary agrees they need.

I had the same problem as others, fed the ducks peas and oats and they ignored it

They are back to bread now

How is that obvious?

By the massive increase in ducks, swans & geese in parks that have little else for them to eat - and the corresponding shit everywhere.

Personally I'd still feed them bread if it was bad for them as a way to keep the numbers down!!

I live close to a lake that has mainly Canada geese, a few swans (though not this year) and some ducks and moorhens. There aren't any signs up saying not to feed bread, and lots of people do. I have to be honest though, a lot of the geese seem to have damaged wings. I always thought that was due to fighting during the mating season, had no idea it might be due to being fed bread.
I've also heard that you shouldn't feed them at all during the spring and summer because there are more bugs and insects around for them to eat which are better for them. Don't know if thats true.

Most places say no now, it is meant to be not great for the ducks and attract rats. It’s a pain buying duck food rather than just giving them bread though!

We feed the local ducks very frequently and tend to use either cheap porridge oats or the last half box of cornflakes that have gone soft as no one ever reseals the bloody bag when they've used them so they sit there for weeks.

I have to admit that it's hard work to throw oats when it's windy but the kids and ducks/swans love it.

We fed the ducks and geese that came to our lodge in Centre Parcs lettuce and they wolfed it down.

Oats or Poundland bird seed here. I even keep some at work for my lunchtime walk.
I haven't fed bread to ducks for years.

We have a weighing shop that sells bird feed at 18pence for 100grams. 3 Big bags of this l, 3 box of oats from aldi. Mix it together in a big bucket and you have food for the ducks and birds that have lasted us all spring and summer including two holidays to the Lake District. Can’t really argue bread is cheaper

Also any left over cereal gets chucked in as well to the mix (as long as it’s not Coco pops or full of sugar).

Feeding bread to waterfowl can cause them to develop a horrible, crippling condition called angel wing. It's extremely painful and causes the bird to be unable to fly. If you think that's ok then carry on with your 'cheap activity.'

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_wing

I used to live next door to a couple from Portugal. One sunday I saw the husband walk off with a bag of bread crusts etc. Arrr how nice I thought. Later, their back yard was full of feathers and there was a bowl of blood :-(

I have ducks who eat a varied diet, but it never contains bread. They love cherry tomatoes, melon, lettuce, mealworms, sweetcorn, pretty much anything we give them. It's not hard to feed the ducks at the park cheaply, but if you're going to insist on feeding them bread, at least make it seeded, multigrain wholemeal.

When I was abroad they sometimes had little vending machines with bird seed, usually barley which you could buy right near the lake.

Not sure why my park doesn't sell it, they could use the profits for something else.

Though maybe it's not such an issue at our park as the lake is full of fish so maybe that's how the ducks and geese supplement their nutritional needs.

Don’t do it. This is why.

Feeding them bread means they "fill up" so don't eat anything with nutrients. They then develop deformities and can't fly so die. Just buy some cheap Wilkos bird seed and feed them that!

I've not managed to find anything at all they will eat other than bread. I've tried oats and all sorts of fruit and veg all on lists i've seen saying don't give them bread give these things instead. They won't eat any of it, it just all sinks to the bottom. So DS feeds them bread, which they love and eat all of it every time.

I live by a river, my garden goes right down to the waters edge, I have ducks that get into the house and should I have my patio windows closed think nothing of banging on the glass with their beaks, at the moment we have boating holiday makers so they are all congregated round them and are leaving us alone because they never get bread from us only duck food and cornflakes, which they will take when there is no bread alternative, BTW I do have a big sign by the patio that's says no ducks but they totally ignore it. I have actually found one of the little bastards sleeping on my sofa before now

So op....what is it you actually have a problem with?

We feed the ducks bird seed, about 1.20 for a kilo bag, lasts ages, I keep it in the bottom of the pram for all the times we walk through parks/along the river. Kids entertained, ducks healthy and happy, no problem.

Speaking to my Park Warden the reason not to feed Ducks and other birds bread is because it damages their DNA for reproducing. There is always going to be a reason with wildlife for not doing certain things and it's not just to be a jobsworth and deprive you of your pleasure of feeding the birds. Personally it's a very strong reason; resist the urge to feed them human man concocted (junk) food. If you really want to feed the birds, Pets shops with sell a mix that will be what they would naturally eat so they won't have deformed sick offspring.

Oldsu I love your post.

When I lived near duck ponds they would wolf down meal worms, berry suet pellets and bird seed all bought from Wilko for a reasonable price.