Can Ducks Eat Bread?

If you're anything like me, you grew up going to the nearest lake or pond to feed the ducks. We loved taking our old loaves of bread to Pioneers Park in my hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. There was something so endearing about ripping up the pieces of bread, tossing them in the water, and watching the ducks eagerly gobble them up. We were never the only ones feeding the ducks; there were plenty of other people there every time we would go.

Until recently, I thought that feeding ducks bread was a wholesome way to supplement their diet. To be honest, I didn't know what else ducks ate. As far as I knew, the ducks' sole nutrition came from those of us who frequented the park with our stale bread.

Before we decided to add ducks to our ranch, I spent a lot of time researching what ducks need to thrive. Practicing regenerative agriculture means providing our livestock with the highest-possible quality of life; it's the least we can do in thanks for their contribution to improving the ecosystem on our land. After all these years, it finally got me wondering: Can ducks eat bread?

I knew that keeping our ducks healthy would be my responsibility, so I wanted to be sure to only feed them the healthiest snacks.

It turns out that ducks shouldn't eat bread on a regular basis. While eating bread won't harm them, it quickly fills them up, preventing them from eating foods that offer more of the nutrients they need. In the long term, this leads to malnutrition. In addition, feeding wild ducks bread teaches them to rely on humans for their food instead of finding it on their own.

Now let's talk a bit more about why feeding ducks bread isn't the best choice—and what to offer them instead.

Why Bread Isn't Good For Ducks

You probably already know that bread is full of carbohydrates. While this provides valuable energy, it doesn't offer much else in the way of actual nutrition. Imagine if you ate bread for every meal, without any sources of protein, fat, vitamins, or minerals.

If you're anything like me, it'd be pretty fantastic for a while—there's not much I love more than a perfectly-toasted bagel. However, after a day or two of only eating bread, I'd be feeling sluggish and weak. Even if I continued to eat enough bread to fulfill my daily calorie needs, I'd become malnourished over time.

The fact is, both humans and animals need a varied diet in order to thrive. By switching up what we eat each day, we ensure that we meet our body's needs. Ducks are no different. They are foragers who naturally eat a variety of bugs and leafy greens.

However, when well-meaning bystanders feed ducks bread, they fill up on carbohydrates instead. Over time, their health declines from the lack of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. This leads to a shorter lifespan and higher rates of disease.

Of course, nobody knowingly deprives ducks of the nutrients they need. Malnutrition isn't noticeable at first, and evaluating a wild duck's body condition is no simple feat. Ducks will happily eat the bread they're offered, so it's easy to keep feeding it to them. After all, who doesn't love to see ducks happily chowing down on a snack?

Malnutrition isn't the only result of feeding wild ducks bread. Another troubling concern is that regularly feeding wild ducks increases their dependence on humans. While it seems cute, relying on people for food is a serious problem for ducks.

As we've already discussed, people don't always know the right things to feed wild ducks. Because of this, ducks struggle to live long, healthy lives. They stop foraging for their own food and survive instead on whatever scraps passersby may offer them. Human interference with nature almost never leads to happy outcomes—it's best to let wild animals stay wild.

That means letting ducks find their own food sources whenever possible. However, I know from experience how fun it is to take your family to the lake to feed the ducks. But if bread is a poor choice, what should you feed them?

What To Feed Ducks

Thankfully, there are a plethora of healthy snack options for ducks. Here are a few of them:

• Peas. Oh my goodness, this is absolutely a duck favorite. If you haven't seen ducks gobbling up peas in a swimming pool, you're missing out! I'm not sure what it is about them, but ducks could eat peas all day. They also provide ducks with niacin, which helps their bones to grow strong.

• Weeds. This is my favorite thing to feed our ducks because it's such a fun way to eliminate weeds from our yard and the ducks love it. They particularly enjoy dandelion, clover, and bindweed. An important note: Ducks can eat most weeds, but be sure not to feed ducks vetch, pennyroyal, milkweed, clematis, or ivy. All of these plants are highly toxic to ducks. Thankfully, they're unlikely to chow down on poisonous plants because they taste bitter. However, it's best to avoid feeding them any amounts of these toxic plants.

Here's our ducks eating some fresh-picked weeds from our yard. It's a good thing they love them, because the weeds are never-ending out here!

• Scrambled or boiled eggs. This one seemed really strange to me at first, but scrambled eggs are actually a fantastic treat for ducks. They're packed with protein, calcium, riboflavin, iron, and vitamin D. When you cook up some eggs to feed the ducks, make sure not to add any seasonings or extra ingredients. Salt, butter, and cheese are unhealthy for ducks. The eggs will be far healthier without the additives, and the ducks will love them just as much.

• Earthworms or mealworms. Like humans, ducks are omnivores. That means they need food from both plant and animal sources—typically small bugs or worms. Dried mealworms are a favorite of most ducks, but you can also grab a container of earthworms at your local gas station.

Of course, ducks can eat far more foods than are listed here. However, all of these options are particularly healthy for ducks, making them a great choice. They provide ducks with vital nutrients without harmful additives, fillers, or dyes. They contribute to the overall health of the ducks, and as an added bonus, ducks absolutely love them.

At the end of the day, it's best to let wild ducks forage for their own food. They'll do the best job of finding what they need in order to thrive. However, if you've got kiddos who absolutely love spending time feeding the ducks (or you love ducks as much as I do), make sure to feed them natural, healthy snacks. You'll feel good knowing you're contributing to the well-being of the flock.