MALLARD THREAD...not rouens, Mallards!

[buff goose guy]

Okay we'll you can tell by voice , vent , DNA , or wait till the makes tail feathers curl .

 

[kstavert]

I have oodles of questions about
ducks in general and Mallards in
particular.....

Never had ducks before...I'm hatching
eggs that my in-laws are giving me...

they will take the majority of them
back once hatched....

I'm wanting to keep two females and
a single male....

First Question:
How do I tell the sex of the babies?

Danny said that the ducks will fly
South in the Winter....

Second Question:
Does that mean that Mallards cannot
deal with snow/cold? I'm in NW Arkansas
and it can get snowy and cold - our pond
usually freezes over.

Third Question:
Do any of you do anything to keep your
Mallards from migrating? if yes, what and
why...

We have a very, very large pond - at least
200' across....

It doesn't feel safe to let my babies go in
the pond.... especially since, at the moment,
there is a snapping turtle and a water moccasin
that my husband has been trying to catch....

but, critters like that will always show up....

I have a fenced in yard for my dogs and,
inside the yard is a chicken run.... I'd like
to fence in a separate area and build a pond
and house for the ducks.... but, if they will
migrate????? what then?

Fourth or Fifth Question: )
How much space do ducks need?

There are a great many predators around
us... often, packs of dogs, raccoons (that have
killed a great many of my chickens), fox, etc...

I will be reading up on Mallard care and will
greatly appreciate any experiences and suggestions
anyone has to offer.... thank you many bunches

 

[kstavert]

Okay we'll you can tell by voice , vent , DNA , or wait till the makes tail feathers curl .

when do tail feathers curl?

all three of the ducklettes have high
pitched peeps?

colour at hatch doesn't give any clues?

 

[buff goose guy]

No color doesn't matter

To early to voice sec that's at about 6-9 weeks

Feathers will curl during process to full adult good do I between then and molting .


No they houldnt migrate if thy are domesticated mallards they die since they don't fend go themselves .


I recommend cutting the primary flight feathers when they grow up and do that monthly on both wings .


Also you will her a ceiling on a run and a coop like hickey wore for the run . Also I would only feed them in the run so they'll come back to it and you can lock it up at night .


That pond is huge I recommend that you get some flightless ducks to mkx in your flock the bigger ducks can scare away hawks that can and will attack your ducks of given the chance .


At night lock your bird in the coop or the run .

Your not going to be able to tell the sex of the babies unless you go get them DNA sexed but you could wait to voice sex or use the tail feathers . Males is raspyier than the girls quake the girls quake is loud and bold .


Some ducks need a lot of space others an do well with little it all dependent on your ducks personalities


No don't let them in the pond until the turtles are gone use turtle traps that you can read up on it kills the turtles ( it's for the best ) or you can find a trap that will only catch them .

Anyway wait till they are full grown to put on the pond if the pond is that big


I come back to clipping the feathers it's a lot like clipping the chickens feathers, you can watch videos on YouTube , I recommend irwinkle on YouTube , she has call ducks , which are just like mallards , in my option , but more domesticated , they fly too .


Do not let your ducks near your dogs if there is a chance the dogs will attack or bother your ducks .

 

[buff goose guy]

If your new to ducks I recommend 'Storeys guide to raising ducks .'

 

[buff goose guy]

Plus my mallards don't migrate never had , and they are full free range never even in a coop , it's very easy to clip there wings still .

 

[fowlman01]

If you cut flight feathers in the wing (the first 10 feathers from the outside of the wing) cut only one side or they may still be able to fly.

Walt

 

[kstavert]

Thank you many bunches for all of
your input.....

I will definitely check out "'Storeys guide
to raising ducks

I will just keep enjoying them and
hope that I end up with at least
one of each sex....

My father-in-law wants the ducklettes
back to put in the coop with the
adult ducks - hoping that they will
take the babies under their wing....

If they won't take the babies, I guess
I'll be raising them until they are old
enough to go to auction.

Again, thanks

 

[pebbleslynn]

Thank you many bunches for all of
your input.....

I will definitely check out "'Storeys guide
to raising ducks


I will just keep enjoying them and
hope that I end up with at least
one of each sex....

My father-in-law wants the ducklettes
back to put in the coop with the
adult ducks - hoping that they will
take the babies under their wing....

If they won't take the babies, I guess
I'll be raising them until they are old
enough to go to auction.

Again, thanks

I watched a video on YouTube on how to vent sex and I correctly vent sexed all five of my ducks you have to do it while they're young according to the video

 

[muus]

Look at my babies,my new snowy mallards and muscovy ducks:





Thanks