Ducks

[Steve27752]

We have male and female Mallard ducks that keep coming into our garden. Interestingly both would be called disabled in our human world, as both have deformities in one leg and have a distinctive limp!
My daughter feeds them bread. What would be a better option?

 

[Iona]

Lucky begger! I wouldn't worry too much about feeding them, with any luck they'll be feasting on all your slugs and snails!

 

[Shewie]

We have male and female Mallard ducks that keep coming into our garden. Interestingly both would be called disabled in our human world, as both have deformities in one leg and have a distinctive limp!
My daughter feeds them bread. What would be a better option?

Pancakes and hoisin sauce ?

 

[Iona]

I like the direction you're taking Shewie! I made some amazing Rowan Jelly last year, makes a great addition to duck gravy...

 

[Goatboy]

Pancakes and hoisin sauce ?

Ah Shewie....

I wanted to post that up when I first read the thread starter, but I resisted and wen't for a walk with the mutt... Should've posted though as it's the perfect response.

That and I didn't want to upset the wee lassie

Goatboy.

 

[HillBill]

Most animals that eat human foods especially pigeons or other animals being fed to people develop acidic urine which basically eats their legs away. Either feed them what they would naturally eat or do not feed them at all.

Who here has not seen a pigeon (ferals) with disfigured feet, toes missing etc?

Makes you wonder what they put in our food doesn't it.

 

[robin wood]

We have male and female Mallard ducks that keep coming into our garden. Interestingly both would be called disabled in our human world, as both have deformities in one leg and have a distinctive limp!
My daughter feeds them bread. What would be a better option?

Your local agricultural supplies will sell hen wheat for £4-£5 a sack, that would be perfect and keep your ducks going for a couple of years. It's what we feed our Indian runner ducks on. A high proportion of white bread is not a good diet for birds, this used to be more of a problem at country parks etc where many birds would develop angel wing, the wing bends outwards so much they could not fly.

I think there is more widespread awareness now and many places sell bags of wheat to feed the birds.

angel wing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Wing

Have not heard the acid urine thing and can find no refs.

 

[HillBill]

Have not heard the acid urine thing and can find no refs.

I was told about it by a gamekeeper who i used to work with. He bred racing pigeons. I cant find anything specific about it either. Just this which goes on about the acidic urine and poo corroding the buildings.

http://www.stockton.gov.uk/resources/council/scrutinyres/environmentfinal/ratspigeons.pdf

Maybe it is naturally acidic. Racing pigeons and woodies are not though. The keeper used to give them certain human foods to increase the acidity to keep harmful bacteria in check within the droppings so he did not catch anything.

 

[zorro]

A high proportion of white bread is not a good diet for birds, this used to be more of a problem at country parks etc where many birds would develop angel wing, the wing bends outwards so much they could not fly.

I think there is more widespread awareness now and many places sell bags of wheat to feed the birds.

angel wing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Wing

Hi Robin, I've only recently discovered this, and found it slightly puzzling based on my personal observations. I've kept geese for nearly twenty years, and have only had one bird with twisted (angel) wing, and she was in that condition when I got her (rescue bird). Mine are fed white bread regularly, the four I have at the moment are all over ten years old, female, excellent layers when in season and are all extremely healthy. One thing I haven't done is try to raise any young off them, so presumably the damage is done while the embryo is developing in the egg?

 

[locum76]

Pancakes and hoisin sauce ?

I've always though that McDonald's should do an equivalent of the 'Big Mac' using a duck burger. They could call it the 'Big Quack'. It would be a duck burger served in a bun, with hoi sin sauce and pak choi.

Just a thought.

Back to the thread...

 

[robin wood]

Hi Robin, I've only recently discovered this, and found it slightly puzzling based on my personal observations. I've kept geese for nearly twenty years, and have only had one bird with twisted (angel) wing, and she was in that condition when I got her (rescue bird). Mine are fed white bread regularly, the four I have at the moment are all over ten years old, female, excellent layers when in season and are all extremely healthy. One thing I haven't done is try to raise any young off them, so presumably the damage is done while the embryo is developing in the egg?

Not sure if it is in egg or as young are growing I suspect the latter as it is a problem with the way the bones grow and from what I read looks like it is due to too much protein and too little of various vitamins and minerals. Some populations of canadas that are regularly fed bread can get up to well over 50% with angelwing. Hen wheat is cheaper than bread and seems more likely to be closer to the natural diet. I don't think an occasional bit of white bread does any harm any more than an occasional big mac does for humans but if it's always on offer for free so you never eat anything else it can be a problem, wildfowl that live at country parks get the stuff as their major food source.

This is a rather one sided and maybe not terribly scientific website but if read with care has some useful info.

http://www.liveducks.com/bread.html

http://www.liveducks.com/wfeeding.html

 

[Purdy Bear]

The RSPB say you can feed them dog biscuit (mixer I presume) as long as its been well soaked first.
Bird seed mix
Meal worms (? the fishermen bait thingys)
Some birds will take uncooked rice, some cooked rice.

Not cooked porridge as this can cause problems with their beeks.

I also put out cooked mince (Iv emailed the above Society and await a reply if its ok).


Mostly the birds that come to me are Magpies and Pigeons, as no one seems to cater for the bigger birds on their tables (they cant land on a small pirch).

 

[Steve27752]

Your local agricultural supplies will sell hen wheat for £4-£5 a sack, that would be perfect and keep your ducks going for a couple of years. It's what we feed our Indian runner ducks on. A high proportion of white bread is not a good diet for birds, this used to be more of a problem at country parks etc where many birds would develop angel wing, the wing bends outwards so much they could not fly.

I think there is more widespread awareness now and many places sell bags of wheat to feed the birds.

angel wing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Wing

Have not heard the acid urine thing and can find no refs.

Thanks for that, I will get some later.