Why ducks can’t have bread: why such food is harmful

“Why can’t ducks have bread?” many ask in surprise. After all, when you come to some park, you just want to treat the ducks! People mostly love pastries, and therefore they are firmly confident that the bird will favorably accept such a delicacy. But it was not there! Let’s try to figure out why this bakery product will do more harm than you might think.

Common misconceptions: weigh and disassemble

People who feed ducks with bread, are often guided by the following considerations:

• “Why can’t ducks have bread if everyone around them feeds them?”. First of all, you need to figure out who these people are. These mainly include the elderly and children. The rest, as a rule, have ever heard that duck baked goods can be harmful. But children and the elderly may not have such information. And the feeling of pity for birds outweighs, especially if it’s winter outside. And is it worth it to be equal to such “everyone”, incompetent in this case – this is already a rhetorical question.
• “In the villages, ducks are fed bread.” Here it is worth making an adjustment for the time at which the ducks were massively fed in this way. Now the majority of literate villagers, who really care about birds, prefer to purchase special feed for them. Moreover, in our time it is easier to do this. And if we talk about our ancestors, it is important to take into account that there were hard times from time to time, when people also had problems with food. Or some farmers prefer to somehow feed the bird, so long as it turns out to be well-fed. But a wild duck from the nearest park is no harm intended for slaughter!
• “Why can’t you feed a duck bread if she eats it?”. Probably the most common argument that can be difficult to argue with. After all, it is unlikely that an animal or a bird will eat something that is dangerous for them – this is what the adherents of this statement think. However, it is much easier to challenge it than it seems. Just remember how some pets like dogs or cats love cookies! Meanwhile, every self-respecting veterinarian will say that biscuits for dogs and cats are harmful. So it is with ducks: if they eat bread with pleasure, this does not mean at all that bread is harmless to them. That is, in this case it is important for a person to be smarter, and if you really want to treat a feathered one, you should do it reasonably.

Why can’t ducks eat bread? why is this food unhealthy

А Now let’s take a closer look at why eating bread is harmful:

• The duck stomach is poorly adapted to the processing of such food. Of course, a certain amount of carbohydrates is good for them. However, fresh black or white bread, rolls, cookies contain so many of them that problems will certainly begin with the stomach. After all, the life of ducks in the wild is associated with other food – with fewer carbohydrates and fewer calories. Speaking of the latter: birds can gain such weight on baking that it will be difficult for them to fly. And it will become completely impossible to escape from predators.
• But bread can do the most harm to a duckling.. For the normal functioning of the body, it is important for them to get a lot of protein. And you can get it from insects, plants. Feeding bread with protein will not provide. And, moreover, a duckling that is accustomed to such food simply will not learn to get exactly the food that it will need in adulthood. In addition, scientists have confirmed that regular feeding of bread to ducklings leads to the fact that their bones become heavier. After all, 100 g of white bread contains about 6 g of protein. This means that the duck will most likely not be able to fly in the future.

• By the way, even an adult duck can forget how to get food on its own if it is constantly fed. And tamed ducks may well fall into the hands of bad people.
• Strange as it may sound at first glance, constant feeding with bread contributes to the spread of diseases. After all, the more flour products the bird eats, the more often it defecates. And with feces, various bacteria come out. For example, avian botulism can spread in a similar way.
• Bread in large quantities in a pond is not the best phenomenon. Surely part of such a delicacy will rot, remaining unclaimed. And a dirty reservoir means too much duckweed, the disappearance of crustaceans, amphibians and fish. In addition, the bird itself can get problems with the lungs and other organs.
• In places where food is not needed, it is quite possible that overpopulation will occur. After all, other ducks will flock there, and the old ones will begin to lay more eggs. And overpopulation is fraught with frequent conflicts, attracting predators and the rapid spread of disease.

What can you feed a duck instead of bread

If the duck really wants to feed, what is it better to do it?

• Special herbal granules. They can be purchased at a veterinary store. This food immediately contains all the useful components for the birds. And, as practice shows, ducks are very fond of such a treat.
• Cereals in a slightly boiled state are also accepted by ducks with great enthusiasm. They especially like oatmeal and pearl barley. You can also take barley groats and millet with you, but first they must be thoroughly washed and boiled properly.
• Cereal flakes are also harmless and very convenient to consume. They will get wet quickly in the water, and they will float well on the surface.
• Vegetables are fine. And even potatoes. The only important thing is to cut them into small pieces. Otherwise, the bird will choke.
• Plants like wheat germ or special cat grass will also work. They just need to be crushed first.
• Low-fat cottage cheese, boiled eggs and white fish, grated cheese are wonderful as delicacies. By the way, cheese can be mixed with cereals – for example, pearl barley.

proverb about good intentions that lead to in a very definite direction I’m sure everyone heard. Therefore, before how to start feeding bird, which is characterized by wild habitat, worth a hundred times to think.