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They'll fly away if they are free, and if they are pinioned, predators will get them easily. We keep ours penned up, double layers of netting over the top, and fully winged so they can fly inside their pen.

My Mama and her babies are still very hidden and they hatched on Mother's Day...they run to the shelter of the big dog house (attached to their pen) if I go toward the end where their branches and cover are...or they stay hidden under all the cover if I am at the end where the pool and shelter...

My 1st Mandarin who sat on eggs dropped one of hers in their pool, and there was a tiny undeveloped duckling inside it. So I didn't SEE HER do it, but I think she must have...she hardly ever left her nestbox so I doubt anyone else got in there and took that egg. my 2nd Mandy mama is on eggs...

My 2nd Mandarin female is setting now! Yay! She's been on eggs most of this week, not sure what day she started...I may end up candling them in a few weeks to see what stage they're at and taking them to finish hatching indoor in my hovabator...I will have more brooder space freed up then and...

I found 1 little baby mandarin dead on the pen floor this am...almost think it was little Mr Photogenic..he'd waddle out like a little penguin and plop down and fall asleep out almost in the open part of the pen (all the while Mom was squawking for him to come back to her.) Wonder if he strayed...

I would be afraid that 1" wire is still big enough for them to fit through easily that first week....I don't know though...since it is the floor and they're with their Mama..Is there any way to put something down on it- like hay/straw/plywood for the first week?

Today- they are on the ground with their Mama, Daddy and Aunties...but so well hidden I have no idea how many hatched! This brave little soul kept venturing out to say hi or at least spy on me better...there are at least 4 on the ground. I saw 6 in the nestbox and hear no peeping of babies left...

They can walk or run right thru chicken wire holes. 30" or 30 cm is not high enough..I have seen mine climb that high. I'd put up wood or plastic barriers along the bottom 2 feet... or keep them in a safe brooder box that is covered til they are older and can't get through the chicken wire...

My other female also just laid her first eggs last week. Last I checked, there were 5 eggs in the other nestbox.

They are out already. I went out to get an update pic and I heard peeping and lots of activity under the branches at the far end of the pen. I can see Ma and Daddy chasing off the interested Aunties and Uncles/big brothers and sisters. I can't get a pic of the babies yet. They are so well...

then I would not put them back if the pen isn't set up for babies yet. They escape way too easily... hatch inside and brood them indoors in a safe brooder box (covered) until they are big enough to not escape from your pen.

I'd go ahead and put them back...their noises may call her back onto the nest too. Has anyone ever pulled the babies out of the nest after they hatch but before they hop out?m I have a potential buyer for some of them and she said she'll let me know. If she wants them as wee babies, I'd have to...

yep, I just went out to check because I heard a lot of Mama chirping noises...but it was another female I guess. This is what I found when I snapped a quick pic...looks like at least 6 babies so far. I can see 6 at least...

LOOK what I saw when I just took a pic thru the nestbox hole!!! 2 babies hiding under her wings...no idea how many more are hatched or going to hatch! Awesome Mother's Day babies!!!

I just went out to clean up some of the muck after yesterday's short mini tornado or whatever they're calling it...dumped lots of rain/hail with high winds and power went out in about 20 minutes than all was fine again afterwards. anyways, I took a few pics up into the nestbox and saw this when...

still just Mama showing...maybe on MOTHER'S DAY she'll have them hatching!

I usually use Dumor Starter /Grower crumbles for all of my babies.....I also use the large metal trough like TSC has (Only longer than their's) for my brooder and cover it with old window screens. I don't add grit until they go outside...I haven't had any problems. This year and last, I let the...

momo- they are nothing like regular ducklings to brood/raise. They are more like baby kangaroo mice/Houdinis...they can escape by crawling straight up cardboard or screen...they can fit right through chicken wire holes without slowing down a bit...but if you have small enough mesh to cover the...

thanks! me too! They have pine shavings and evergreen branches to land on when they hop out of the box, a low water dish and food tray for me to fill up when that is needed, a ramp up into and back out of the pool (and clean water for today anyways...they aren't due for a few days as best as I...