What do you think of this article on lettuce?

[rainplace]

I was looking over some of the stuff at runnerduck.net, which is the indian runner duck association in the UK. I came across this article on lettuce not being good for ducks. It says that not only is it not good, it can also be toxic. What are your thoughts?

It's a pdf file so scroll down to page 18 which is on the right hand side. Page 19 is up a page and to the left, and page 20 is up again and to the right.

http://www.runnerduck.net/folders/News_08_19.pdf

 

[Violet22]

Thanks for posting this! Now I am worried........my ducks are 9 weeks old, and up until about 6 weeks, they got lots of lettuce daily, Romaine mainly. Now they only get it once or twice a week in a small amount, but I hope I didn't cause damage in their early days.

 

[Wifezilla]

Oh good lord. That article is a bunch of hooey.

 

[Katy]

I hate to think how much lettuce I've fed my ducks over the years with no ill effects. Now if all you were feeding them was that anemic iceberg lettuce and no other feed I could see where that could lead to some problems.

 

[DuckLady]

I agree with Katy.
I know there is not real value in lettuce as a main staple, but my ducks love it and they get the leftovers and leavings as a treat. It is a great training tool.

"Here, ducky ducky ducky, want some lettuce? Come and get it so I can grab you and fluff your butt feathers"

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
uh huh exactly. And the list goes on and on about what causes cancer in humans, warts on donkeys, nose bleeds in birds and etc etc. It is a load of manure.

 

[rainplace]

It was the inability to get rid of salts that got me. Well, and being a new duck keeper, I started to panic as well... I mean I've fed tons of lettuce to my ducks.

 

[10ducks]

I agree, hooey. Wild mallards (from which all of our ducks are descended) who live near the seashore will often spend several months of the year in brackish (mix of salt and freshwater) marshes without harm.

 

[TK Poultry]

ya its a bunch of bull my ducks get lettuce every wednesday (the left overs from taco night) and nothing they say not to give them green tomatoes either but i do w/ no ill effect