Bread For Ducks.

[sandyRoe]

I've a sourdough loaf which has gone stale.  Would it be safe to feed it to the local ducks?

[barry1010]

Bread isn't good for ducks, treat yourself to some toast

[THECORBYLOON]

At our Boating Lake, there's a sign saying not to feed loaf to the ducks and to to give them seeds instead.

 

It's not good for them or the lake.

[youngmafbog]

As above.  Bread is not a good idea.  We take some seeds for the grandchildren to feed them.

[sandyRoe]

I'll put it into the green bin.  If it goes to compost the rats can eat it.

[youngmafbog]

Dont you have a food waste bin?

[sandyRoe]

We're issued with a biodegradable bag for food waste which goes into the green bin.

I've run out of those bags long ago.  I'll just put it into the bin.

[nicebloke1]

I don't really know now weather this should be a yes or a no answer. Councils spent a tidy penny in many areas putting signs up saying that bread was bad for ducks, and to feed seeds and so on. Now some councils seem to have back peddled on the idea. There was a outcry that ducks were starving in the winter months through lack of food because of the downturn in feeding of bread and the increase price of seed products.

A lot of fishermen ( like me) use ground up stale bread for bait, and hook bait and thats still allowed and it attracts the ducks to you sometimes. Many of the signs have been taken down where I go to fish so????

[Old_Geezer]

Less than ideal then, but needs must when the devil drives ?

[Redhelen72]

I was reading that because of the bread kills ducks thing that ducks and geese are now actually starving to death as they are not getting anything to eat.

I will see if I can find the article

[Countrylover]

I've read that too Red.  They have taken the don't feed the ducks signs down on the River and duck pond in our area.   It was said bread is not ideal nutritionally, but better than nothing.  We have an area on the Riversde where ducks and chickens all congregate.  It's quite famous in the area and on the town info signs.  You can feed both. The chickens now are mostly abandoned ones  Ducks can't read so no point putting up a notice about bread being bad for them.  

[Countrylover]

https://ibb.co/8P4VTNj

[Countrylover]

I've seen that notice in lots of places, or similar ones.

[Countrylover]

I suppose for all us animals any food that keeps us alive is better than no food at all.  A lot of people thrive well these days eating junk food from Deliveroo, etc!

[nicebloke1]

Redhelen. I've spent over fifty years around many lakes ponds, rivers and pools because my sport is fishing, so I see many different kinds of wildlife. I've yet to see any sort of bird or any sort of duck geese swan, whatever suffer from eating bread, but like humans they do need a mixed diet, and they get that mixed diet from the wild. However as you may well already know winter months brings hardship to all wild life. They rely on us to provide food. Anglers also provide loads of food besides bread. When I go fishing I have many sorts of water birds sitting next to me all day long waiting for handfulls of sweetcorn to be thrown there way. The many tree birds fly down and help themselves to whatever is in the bait boxes, worms, maggots, peas, and meat. Some people eat certain food that they find dont suit them, and its the same with any animal, so yes bread or whatever may affect a few birds, but to stop feeding them all the one thing people can afford to feed them on, and give entertainment to small children will only result in many many birds perishing in the winter more so. Since this advice was given, and it is only advice, NOT law, the price of bird seen and the likes of has exploded( strange that) :0)

 

 

[Countrylover]

Exactly nice bloke!  We live between two well known  bird sanctuaries with river and large lakes.  You can buy seed for them but you can also feed bread.   Not many dead ducks or swans to be seen.  I don't suppose the seagulls suffer for eating chips etc either!

[nicebloke1]

I'd forgot about the seagulls stuffing chips. :0) even they come well inland for a feed when its really bad.

[Countrylover]

Mouldy bread should never be given to any birds obviously!

[THECORBYLOON]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-50081386

 

[nicebloke1]

Right, in fact during the summer months if its very hot we have to reduce any ground bait going in the water, sometimes it even gets banned. Because with the heat it can contaminate the water.

[nicebloke1]

TCL good link thanks.