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Can Mallard/Rouens Fly?

post #1 of 15
5/27/12 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 

I am hatching mallards crossed with a Rouen drake. Will they be able to fly? And what would you call them? Rouallards? Mallouens? Tom, Dick, Harry???

3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

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3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

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post #2 of 15
5/27/12 at 10:02pm

Are they true mallards or from a hatchery? I doubt they will be able to fly and if they can it probably won't be large distances. I would just refer to them mixed breed ducks.

 Crested Ducks                     Common Chicken Practices          Learn more about Avian Influenza

 

 

 
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou

 

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 Crested Ducks                     Common Chicken Practices          Learn more about Avian Influenza

 

 

 
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou

 

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post #3 of 15
5/27/12 at 10:23pm
Thread Starter 

They are from Metzers, except for the Rouen drake who was hatched by a friend from unknown lineage. The drake, not the friend. It doesn't matter either way, but just curious as we supplying a friend with 20 for their pond and he was wondering if they would migrate.

 

Thanks for the response!

3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

Reply

3 Mallards, 2 Rouens (1 drake),  Jumbo Pekin, Welsh Harlequin, 8 hens - RIRs, Gold-laced Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Buff Brahma, Welsummer, 2 Roo's - Delaware, Speckled Sussex, 1 lovable old dog, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 2 goldfish, 1 male Beta

RIP Ghost, Gene and Onyx - we miss you girls

Reply
post #4 of 15
5/28/12 at 4:36am

It will really depend on their size & wing strength. I would start out with clipped wings & just kinda watch from there to see if they are doing a lot of flapping & whether they can get their toes off the ground with clipped wings. As long as they can lift themselves with clipped wings I would keep clipping.

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post #5 of 15
5/28/12 at 5:23am

Yeh, just clip the wings to be on the safe side.

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post #6 of 15
5/28/12 at 7:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin565 View Post

Are they true mallards or from a hatchery? I doubt they will be able to fly and if they can it probably won't be large distances. I would just refer to them mixed breed ducks.

Are you saying hatchery Mallards don't fly? I thought all Mallards could fly if not clipped.

 

ETA:  I'm not trying to argue I'm just curious what the norm is. I purchased 7 Hatchery Mallards.

 

 

 

                                             

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post #7 of 15
5/28/12 at 7:20am

I would just watch and go from there. My mallards started flying around 8 weeks old, at first its spurts and low flying then it will get higher and longer.

 

 

 

                                             

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post #8 of 15
5/28/12 at 7:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apyl View Post

I would just watch and go from there. My mallards started flying around 8 weeks old, at first its spurts and low flying then it will get higher and longer.

I can't wait for my Mallards to fly! 

 

"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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"For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we to the Lord.

 Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's"

                                                       

                                                            Romans 13:7-8

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post #9 of 15
5/28/12 at 12:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apyl View Post

Are you saying hatchery Mallards don't fly? I thought all Mallards could fly if not clipped.

 

ETA:  I'm not trying to argue I'm just curious what the norm is. I purchased 7 Hatchery Mallards.

It all depends on their wing strength & how fat they get. I know my 3 month old drakes could fly if I didn't clip their wings & they came from a hatchery.

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post #10 of 15
5/28/12 at 1:01pm

My friend at work just told me the saddest story about the day his Rouens flew away when he was a boy.  It was heartbreaking.

Clip a wing, to be safe.

I have 2 wonderful sons, 3 ducks (2 Anconas & 1 Buff), 4 laying hens, a Holland Lop bunny, and a big scaredy cat.  I am a Chef, Baker, Bluegrass "Musician" (I know, you can't do both) and artisan. 

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I have 2 wonderful sons, 3 ducks (2 Anconas & 1 Buff), 4 laying hens, a Holland Lop bunny, and a big scaredy cat.  I am a Chef, Baker, Bluegrass "Musician" (I know, you can't do both) and artisan. 

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