Accepted Answer

Yes, you need to get involved with these birds. Found as youngsters and raised by individuals who have no idea how to raise wild birds for re-release has "imprinted" them on humans. They will very likely always be unafraid of people and so, never truly safe in a wildlife setting without care and supervision.

One of my favorite quotes in an old text refers to this in the statement, "....you remain responsible forever for what you have tamed"

Ideally, you should contact a local wildlife rehabilitation or preserve and let them know what happened and that these fowl stand a chance of threat in neighborhood animals and children. That they should be relocated to a safe haven where they'll be protected.

State preserves monitor human interaction with the wildlife and prohibit all other animals (pets) - so these birds will be as safe as a bird can get.

Look for a rehabber in your area here:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

You can also make a few phone calls to local vets who should have numbers for you and names of places to call to relocate these guys.

They are omnivorous and will eat almost anything in front of them. This doesn’t mean it’s healthy, but they are often not picky.

 

Fruits, even nuts are ok, multiple grains, snails, slugs, worms and of course small fish are big sources of food for them, but probably their favorite is corn. Corn meal, fresh corn, cracked corn are easy to come by and offer.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2009/esse_jaso/Nutrition.htm

 

Pellet formulas have become a good option even with waterfowl, but the pleasure of variety is still necessary for happy water fowl.

Pelleted diets are highly recommended and preferred because of a far lower risk of molds and bacteria growth which often happens in other food sources like mash and grains. Studies are also showing without doubt that pelleted ducks & geese grow bigger and quicker than others.

For supplemental foods offer some hard cooked eggs, regular garden snails with or without shells, worms/night crawlers, bloodworms and of course cracked corn. It’s important to be sure when offering slugs and the like that you need to be certain no pesticides or other chemicals were used in the area and could possibly in the flesh.

For a printable guide

http://www.duckhealth.com/ducknutr.html

(it's good for ducks and geese)

Good luck!

Expert:	S. August Abbott, CAS
Pos. Feedback:	99.6 %
Accepts:
Answered:	6/14/2009

Certified Avian Specialist

Cert. Avian Specialist; Int. Assoc.Animal Behavior Consult; Pet Ind. Joint Advisory Council; author