Ducks in garden!

[Quadrilingual]

Two ducks have appeared in our garden and they are just sitting there relaxing! My DH went out to take video and photo and they got up a bit but didn't run or fly away. We only moved recently so not sure what to do! Should we feed them bread? Or do you think that will mean lots come and ruin garden?

What type of duck are they?
Don't feed them bread.

No bread, am jealous!

Of the ducks in your garden, not that you were giving them bread!

You have been chosen ...

Embrace it

Did some say ducks? I saw these this morning, but not in my garden.

We had a mum and 7 ducklings come.in our garden last year. There's a wee drop where they got in, so although mum could hip back up the babies were stuck. I'm not gonna lie, birds of every kind give me the creeps so I had to get out elderly neighbour to help them out. Didn't want them ending up as cat food in my garden.

I don't know what type but they look like the emoticon 🦆 they are grey and green. Maybe they are nesting?

If you want to feed them there are other things you might have around the house (porridge oats are a hit with our local ducks) 🙂

www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-feed-ducks/amp

Those are mallards. They definitely aren't nesting if they have green heads - those are the boys

It's not advised to feed bread (poor nutritional value) but you can feed other things - defrosted frozen peas or sweetcorn, for example.
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-feed-ducks

The grey snd greens are the male mallards. If you have a breeding pair the female will be mostly brown. Definitely leave them to decide where they're happy. If you want to encourage regular visits the best thing to give them is grain or duckpellets from a petshop. If you have river or wet area near you they might be based there and looking for places to loaf about, much like teenagers and bus stops.

My parents have ducks that come and visit. They come to the back door and wait for dinner!

Thanks everyone! We are still so excited! Hope they are regular.

Awww!

Don't feed them bread but you can feed them seeds and other bird food.

We had a duck make a nest right next to our front door. She sat on it for 4 weeks only getting up periodically to eat. The eggs hatched last week and we managed to get a video of 7 chicks wadding away with their mother. So cute.

Time for a roast

We have wild ducks visit our garden. I love them. Currently have a female on eggs in my flower border. Can’t wait for the ducklings to hatch! Next door had a brood hatch about three weeks ago in their garden and there were 14 duckings following their Mum around. They were in my drive this morning 😃

Don't feed them bread, feed them peas if you want them to keep coming back. If you are precious about your garden or are trying to grow veggies etc I dont suggest you encourage them.

There is a small river at the end of my street and we often get ducks and ducklings in our garden.

We often get a lady duck who routinely turns up at the kitchen door with her two boyfriends. She’s feisty and wanders into our kitchen and dining room, whilst they hang back.

I always assumed that ducks were monogamous like swans and mate for life….but oh no! Lady ducks are apparently quite promiscuous so I assume it strengthens the gene pool. There are always many more male ducks than females around here.

Btw you can buy the “Brambles” brand Swan and Duck food from Wilko, garden centres and online.

The thing about not feeding ducks bread was a myth which was put out by bird feed manufacturers, it isn't correct and it has contributed to a decline in the numbers of ducks and geese.

We have a breeding pair that came to our pond last year and then disappeared off. They're now back again for the Spring. They're called Jack and Vera

Bread is not the best for them , nor the worst , (not sure if that myth was actually put out by birds seed manufacturers though!) so if there is something else available that is better for the ducks why not feed them that ?

So lovely to read all your duck tales and facts! Keep them coming!

We hatched our ducks and they are adorable. You can buy duck food from pet stores if they become permanent visitors and maybe put down some water - we float peas in the water and they love zooming around and eating them.

We had a pair who came every year for several years, and definitely hatched broods at least twice, although we never saw them (I was carefully monitoring a nest one year, went out to work and when I got back, they’d hatched and mum duck had led them all to the water - bah!).

Bought the special duck pellets for them and provided a large garden potting tray full of fresh water, which they used to drink from and solemnly stand in for a while. They’d fly in every day and spend all day lounging about in our garden. We think it was the same pair coming back as they got very used to us and would immediately waddle up for food.

Then, about 3 years ago, they stopped coming. V sad.

BUT! Late yesterday afternoon I glanced out of the window at a flurry of wings and who should it be but 🦆🦆Male and female. Possibly a new pair but still.
They had some food and have just been back. Fingers crossed they'll take up residence.

aww that's so nice!