Ducks and Bread...

In my first blog, I mentioned that we enjoyed walking over to feed the ducks some bread.  I mentioned this fact to my supervisor on Monday while she was giving me a ride to the commuter train from work.  She told me that bread is not good for ducks.  I couldn't believe that, I have always fed ducks, and any bird for that fact, bread.  It is like fast food for ducks...

So, forward to Tuesday.  I remembered what my supervisor had told me.   I had somewhat recuperated from my lack of sleep on Sunday night and full day of work Monday.  I told my husband, who also didn't know this fact.  He got online and did a search.  Indeed, bread is not good for ducks.  It does bad things to their organs.  So, instead of trying to make sure these little ducks had a good life, we were slowly killing them.  No, this isn't something I would ever want to do... I cry when goldfish die. 

My husband continued the article to let us know what we should feed ducks.  It goes along the lines of recently thawed frozen corn or peas, fresh carrots, sliced grapes, and Cheerios.  Of all the things in the list, Cheerios are by far the cheapest, and they will last the longest.  So, that is what we have decided to feed the ducks. 

Last night, my kids and my husband grabbed the yellow box  and walked over to the ducks.  I didn't join them this time, I was exhausted.   I had completely doubted that the ducks would want to eat Cheerios, but I figured if they didn't eat them, my children would.  Upon their return, I asked the inevitable.  Did the ducks eat any Cheerios?  Yes, and they loved them.  I was happy to hear that. 

Tonight I went on the duck feeding escapade.  My husband recorded it on the camera.  It was fun to see all of them eating up the Cheerios.  It makes it easier to feed them Cheerios, because the kids would grab a handful and throw them.  All of the ducks got to feast, rather than wait and hope they could grab a piece of the bread faster than any of the others.

I guess the moral of the story is, as much as ducks (and most birds) love bread, it is a good idea to read what is good for them, before feeding them.  I would have never known that bread was slowly killing the ducks, if my supervisor hadn't told me.  Therefore, I thought that I would pass the information along, in case you see a duck and want to feed it.