Since I have warned you all about how bad bread is for waterfowl I thought perhaps it is time I told you about foods that are Good for them. A lot of these foods I feed my own waterfowl as well as those I rescue. Trust me, they trully appreciate the love and care that goes in to giving them foods that make them healthy. :)

Feeds:

 There are various feeds you can find at your local farm & supply stores. Some carry waterfowl feeds but some only have chicken feed. Chicken pellets work fine so long as it is UNMEDICATED. It has to be unmedicated as chicken feeds medication isn't regulated for the voracious appetites of ducks and such and it can make them sick or possibly kill them from over dose.

 Some people feed their ducks and geese just feed. I personally like to supplement it with natural foods and also my flock is free range and has full run of the yard all day so they can catch any bugs, worms, snakes, etc (yes ducks and geese like the meat group).. they may wish to eat as well as grazzing on the various plants.

Veggies:

 Oh yeah they LOVE their veggies! Various types of lettuce, tomatoes, snap beans, parsley, cabbage, corn, etc... You can get big 40 or 50 pound bags of corn or small bags from feed supply stores for pretty cheap. I usually take about 5 pounds of corn with me when on a rescue mission or just to make sure the birds have something good to eat. Corn doesn't have the most nutritional value for them but it is still far better than bread.

Never EVER feed them Avacado.. they are toxic. No mushrooms either. They don't do well with any type of fungus.

Fruits:

 This is like waterfowl candy I tell you! My Ducks will chase me all over the yard if they think I have some grapes! Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, small apple pieces, watermelon, canteloup, persimons, etc... They LOVE fruit. It's wonderful to watch how excited they get. It's like a bunch of kids in a candy store!

Dairy:

 Yes they like cheese. I only give them very small amounts on the rare occasion but they gobble it right up.

Meat:
 
 No worries. You Do Not have to give them meat. If they are allowed to run around freely in pasture or on a pond or what have you they Will catch their own. They eat many various things they catch from land and water. I almost fell over when I saw my big Muscovy drake chomp down a good sized crawfish and one of the babies gobble up a grass snake! There's nothing they love more than bobbing for minnows.. unless maybe it's gobbling grapes LOL. I can't count how many times I've gotten my fingers nibbles over grapes. Luckily it typically doesn't hurt when they nibble you lol.

Grit and Oyster shell:

 If they aren't allowed to find their own then they need "Grit" to aid in their digestion. This is stuff they eat and it helps grind food in their gizzards.. small pebbles, sand.. etc... Oyster shell is for calcium. Females tend to need a bit more calcium when laying their eggs. Now there is more than one way to give calcium back to them. There are Laying pelletes wich are obviously designed for egg laying birds. If you eat the eggs or have no intention of letting them hatch them out then you can give the shells back to them and thus give the calcium back, or you can purchase Oyster shell which gives them calcium as well when added to their food. Laying Pellets, Oyster Shell, and Grit can all be purchased at your local feed and farm supply store.

When raising baby waterfowl one has to be careful of protien levels due to a wing disorder called Angel Wing.. too much protien can cause this and possibly genetics as well. Oddly enough one of my babies had developed angel wing regardless of my trying to keep vigilant watch on their diet, though none of the others have developed it so I am thinking perhaps one of his parents carries the gene. Without furhter studying the bloodline there's really no way to tell. Also my rescue duck, Hope, has Angel Wing. I wonder if that's why her previous owners dumped her... hmm. A little education goes a long way. It can be corrected if done early before the bird is grown.. if the bird will keep their darn warppings on. That part is easier said than done. I am currently seeking another way to help my young one with his angel wing as he simply refuses to stay wrapped up longer than 5 seconds.

 Angel Wing is where the wings grow oddly, or the muscles to hold the flight feathers in place are maldeveloped and so the flight feathers protrued outward or drag the ground. Most domestic ducks can't fly to begin with but even waterfowl that can fly will be grounded if they have angel wing as this condition prevents flight even in otherwise healthy birds. I will try to get more info as well as photos of this comdition for a later post.

I'm sure there's something I am forgetting to add, but I simply can't think what it might be. If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me and I will try to help all I can :)