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In parks in many countries, you can see adults and children throwing bread to wild ducks and watching with pleasure as they eat every last crumb. But does anyone at this moment think about the damage we cause to the surrounding nature and the birds themselves? Is it true that bread is the worst enemy for birds? What do ornithologists think about this?
- 2 What can you feed waterfowl?
2.0.1 Video: why ducks should not be fed bread
Is it possible to feed waterfowl (ducks, swans, geese)
Many ornithologists agree that white bread should not be included in the list of prohibited foods for waterfowl, since its consumption within reasonable limits does not pose any danger to birds. As for black bread, it is considered more dangerous, as it contains malt, artificial honey and spices. All these products, even in small quantities, provoke sticking of the stomach, bloating of the intestines or volvulus in the bird, which leads to painful death.
Wild birds always look for their own food. By the way, several thousand representatives of the duck family always winter in Moscow. So, many of them simply will not eat crumbs thrown into the pond, since they mainly feed on various invertebrates and fish. But even if a duck swims up and eats this bread, believe me, nothing will happen to it! She might even thank you, as it will be a nice addition to her dinner. But, again, just an addition!
There is no need to hit the hands of people who crumble bread on windowsills or in their yard. Let them feed! This really makes life easier for birds, because the bird will find the main ingredients for itself in the wild, and this bread can help it survive the harsh winter.
Candidate of Biological Sciences, ornithologist, President of the Association of Bird Lovers Vladimir Romanov
https://aif.ru/dontknows/eternal/mozhno_li_kormit_utok_hlebom
Bread is a good addition to dinner for wild ducks
Thus, ornithologists allow feeding waterfowl with white bread, but with the caveat that bread should not be the main food. What are the consequences of constant uncontrolled consumption of this delicacy by ducks:
- White bread is rich in carbohydrates and high in calories, but it lacks the vitamins and minerals necessary for the growth and development of poultry. Thus, a duck, filling its stomach, does not strive to look for other food. In small ducklings, a lack of beneficial microelements can cause a disease called “angel wings”, due to which the chicks cannot fly;
“Angel wings” develop in waterfowl as a result of a lack of manganese and vitamins D, E in the body
- easily accessible food makes beggars out of little ducklings, who in the future do not try to look for food on their own;
- artificial feeding causes birds to spend the winter in city parks. As a result, a large number of birds freeze or die from hunger;
- Moldy bread causes dangerous diseases of the respiratory system.
Bread thrown into the water is not always eaten by the bird. The product does not go away and begins to decompose over time, negatively affecting water quality.
The presence of bread in the diet of domestic ducks
Domestic ducks should eat food that contains proteins, vitamins and minerals. This will provide them with the necessary amount of energy, and their body weight will increase gradually. Many farmers make the mistake of feeding their ducks leftover food that they eat themselves. If the food consists of vegetable scraps, it will benefit the birds, but other types of food will harm them. Leftover human food should not contain spices and be finely chopped.
Using bread for ducks
Why can't ducks eat bread?
Bakery products are made up of carbohydrates. This type of food is difficult for birds to digest. Reasons why ducks should not eat bread:
- Bakery products are baked using yeast. Bread yeast is different from natural yeast, and can lead to malfunction of the internal organs of the bird.
- When eating bread, birds swallow large parts. The product gradually swells and harms their stomach. Most often the duck dies. It is almost impossible to save her.
- Bread products can quickly fill a bird. In this case, the duck refuses another type of food, reducing the amount of essential vitamins in the body. If bakery fertilizers are often used, this leads to a decrease in immunity, and the bird begins to get sick.
Feeding grain products harms not only poultry, but also wild birds. In winter, you can often see park visitors throwing bread into the pond for the ducks. When flour gets into liquid, it swells and causes harm.
Harm of bread for ducks
Important! Using bread to feed wild birds can cause them to become obese. As a result, the birds get used to feeding, and therefore refuse to look for food on their own.
What can you feed waterfowl?
If bread is one of the prohibited food products for waterfowl, then what can you still pamper the birds with? The list of permitted products is quite diverse and includes:
- boiled cereals and grains. Birds will especially appreciate pearl barley, millet and oatmeal;
- corn and oat flakes;
- finely chopped vegetables;
- purchased poultry feed;
- cottage cheese;
- boiled egg;
- chopped grapes;
- chopped lettuce leaves.
Waterfowl can be fed grain crops
In city parks near the pond, you can often come across advertisements in which the administration asks you not to feed the ducks bread. But many simply ignore such requests and continue to feed waterfowl with food that is harmful to them. After all, no punishment is provided for this, and one’s own conscience is silent. As for America, in this country it is prohibited to feed wild birds in the park. Anyone who decides to break the law faces a fine. In the entire 6 months that I lived in New York, I did not see either adults or children feeding birds.
Many parks have posted notices banning bird feeding.
Is it possible to feed bread and rolls to ducks?
Using buns to feed a duckling or an adult bird causes significant harm in a short time. If a farmer uses grain leftovers, this should be done very rarely. Different types of baked goods have different effects on the health of birds.
Feeding domestic ducks
White
One of the harmful foods for ducks is white bread. It contains a lot of calories and is practically not digested in the stomach. When eating white bread, the duck does not receive any beneficial elements. As a result, she feels heaviness and bloating. It is prohibited to use such food in its pure form.
Professionals allow the use of small quantities of only dried flour products, which are first added to the mash in an amount of no more than 40 g. Birds can be fed such food no more than once every 10 days.
Using white bread
To feed wild ducks, it is necessary to use dried small breads, which, when dropped into water, soften to the state of porridge. However, you need to know how much to give the product so as not to harm the birds. You should use no more than 30 g of dried pieces for 2-3 individuals.
Black
When raising birds, you need to know whether it is possible to feed ducks black bread. The product contains malt and spices, which can kill the bird. Most often, black bread, when it enters the stomach, ferments and causes an inflammatory process. Therefore, we can say with confidence that ducks and black bread are incompatible.
With mold
Cereal products that become moldy can be harmful to any animal. Mold is poisonous to birds. Not only moldy flour products are prohibited, but also absolutely any type of food containing fungus.
What to feed a duck on a decorative pond?
Creating a decorative pond at your summer cottage is a great idea. Nature lovers release ducks into artificial ponds. Without knowing how to properly formulate a diet for ducks, pond creators harm the birds. There are 5 types of useful baits.
Mineral supplements
Mineral supplements are necessary for birds to reproduce. An egg forms inside the bird. For normal development, a strong and hard shell is needed. Mineral supplements make egg shells strong and improve food digestion.
Birds do not chew their food. They swallow it, and an organ called the cloaca mechanically crushes the pieces of food.
The best mineral supplements are crushed egg shells, shells, gravel, salt, sand. Laying hens need mineral nutrition. If the rule is neglected, the chicks will take a long time to form and develop, the shells of the eggs will be thin, and the bird will break them through carelessness.
Vitamins and vegetables
Creating vitamin and green feed is not difficult. At their summer cottage, people grow vegetables and prepare food for the winter to feed ducks.
3 types of vitamin baits are used:
- Fresh herbs and leaf blades are thoroughly dried. Green plants are hung in well-ventilated places.
- Ducks love marsh plants. Experts use dried duckweed, chora, hornwort and various algae as preparations.
- Boiled and fresh vegetables: tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, beets. It is recommended to pickle carrots.
Grains and cereals
The main source of food for birds is grains and cereals. They stimulate the growth and activity of the duck. Experts allow feeding birds with crushed and whole food. Grains and cereals are suitable for all ages.
The following varieties are suitable for feeding:
- peas;
- wheat;
- barley;
- rye;
- beans;
- residues of any grain crop.
For rapid development and growth, it is recommended to add grains and cereals to the diet of chicks.
Meat and fish
An important source of building material for the body is protein. In the wild, birds eat small fish, shellfish, frogs and other amphibians. For mallards living in a decorative pond, eating food of animal origin in its pure form is not recommended.
The poultry diet should include any of the following components:
- Oxidized dairy products: cottage cheese, whey, cheese.
- Flour with added fish for making broths and mash.
- Meat and bone meal is an excellent source of fat.
- Entrails of small fish, fillets.
The use of animal products containing bones, which can damage the bird's cloaca, is strictly prohibited.
Making homemade food
It is recommended to create your own homemade food, rich in nutrients necessary for full active life. 100 grams of feed contains mineral, animal and plant additives. Feed additives are taken by ducks 3 times a day.
The amount of mineral additives per 100 grams is 7.8 grams, animal products – 4 grams, vegetable baits – 65 grams. As grams increase, the proportion increases.
In the evenings, after three meals a day, it is recommended to add pure grains and cereals to the diet.
Why is it forbidden to give bread to ducks?
Feeding ducks bread is not the best idea, since the benefits in this action are much less than the real harm.
Important! Fresh bread is a source of net carbohydrates. It contains no substances that may be beneficial to waterfowl.
Experts cite a number of reasons explaining why ducks should not be fed white or black bread:
- Recently baked black bread triggers fermentation processes in the stomach, which can lead to diseases of the digestive tract in birds.
- You can accidentally feed wild ducks moldy bread. It is dangerous to their health, as it causes the development of a fungal disease.
- Ducks should not be fed white bread, since it contains salt in an amount that is excessive for the bird.
- Frequent feeding of wild ducks on the pond leads to the fact that the bird simply stops getting its own food.
Also, do not forget that product residues can pollute water bodies and the area that is located nearby.
