MALLARD THREAD...not rouens, Mallards!

[cymbaline]

Another thing about the bill color, it seems to have a blue/grey hue to it. Shouldn't the tail feathers have a curl by now if it were a male? My mallard also lacks this.

Blue/grey? That's different. I've seen the girls' bills go almost brown/black, with very little orange, and the boys go anywhere from yellow to green, but never blue. Males will start molting between 2 and 3 months, from my experience, and that's when they get their signature green head and tail curl. But their bill color changes just before that. Obviously with most ducks, voice-sexing is the first way to tell, but with your "oddball" I'm guessing you'll have to watch during the next few weeks and see if it starts changing colors. Below is my Dexter, when he was just a couple weeks older than your ducks, so can see what to watch for (he's the one in the middle in the pool pic)

 

[MaeDay]

Blue/grey? That's different. I've seen the girls' bills go almost brown/black, with very little orange, and the boys go anywhere from yellow to green, but never blue. Males will start molting between 2 and 3 months, from my experience, and that's when they get their signature green head and tail curl. But their bill color changes just before that. Obviously with most ducks, voice-sexing is the first way to tell, but with your "oddball" I'm guessing you'll have to watch during the next few weeks and see if it starts changing colors. Below is my Dexter, when he was just a couple weeks older than your ducks, so can see what to watch for (he's the one in the middle in the pool pic) [COLOR=B42000] [/COLOR]

Oh wow so there's still a chance it could develop the green head! Awesome. The ducks are going on three months already. Now that they've discovered the big pond, they wont come near me anymore, not even for their favorite mealworms. I tried to get the mallard for pictures when it came back to the plastic pool earlier but it flew back to the pond. I think I've officially lost them to the wild now, if I could get ducks again I would definitely need to find a domestic breeder.

 

[cymbaline]

Oh wow so there's still a chance it could develop the green head! Awesome. The ducks are going on three months already. Now that they've discovered the big pond, they wont come near me anymore, not even for their favorite mealworms. I tried to get the mallard for pictures when it came back to the plastic pool earlier but it flew back to the pond. I think I've officially lost them to the wild now, if I could get ducks again I would definitely need to find a domestic breeder.

Haha, maybe mine just have Stockholm Syndrome or something, but they are very good about hanging around. They wander into the neighbor's field sometimes, but that's about it. My property is actually bordered by a creek that they have yet to discover, except for one time in the winter when it was frozen solid. I'm glad, because I have a feeling I'd have a heck of a time trying to get them to come back from it...it was bad enough in the winter. I was throwing lettuce at them trying to lure them back onto the bank because the ice wouldn't hold me, lol.
Is your avatar one of your ducks? It doesn't look like a regular Mallard...or any duck that I can think of, actually. Its chest looks like a mallard, but the head/face looks very different...the eye-stripe is almost unnoticeable.

 

[MaeDay]

Haha, maybe mine just have Stockholm Syndrome or something, but they are very good about hanging around. They wander into the neighbor's field sometimes, but that's about it. My property is actually bordered by a creek that they have yet to discover, except for one time in the winter when it was frozen solid. I'm glad, because I have a feeling I'd have a heck of a time trying to get them to come back from it...it was bad enough in the winter. I was throwing lettuce at them trying to lure them back onto the bank because the ice wouldn't hold me, lol.
Is your avatar one of your ducks? It doesn't look like a regular Mallard...or any duck that I can think of, actually. Its chest looks like a mallard, but the head/face looks very different...the eye-stripe is almost unnoticeable.

Yes, I was tols by the feed store that it was a Rouen, now completely lost to the wild. The mallard is the only one who has returned home. I had two Rouen and the one mallard which is furthest left.

 

[Housemom408]

My mallard is 6 months old now. Since she hasn't laid an egg yet does that mean she will not until spring? Also when is mating season over for them? I'm getting tired of my drakes attitude!

 

[Amiga]

My mallard is 6 months old now. Since she hasn't laid an egg yet does that mean she will not until spring? Also when is mating season over for them? I'm getting tired of my drakes attitude!

My first thought was, if there is one drake and one duck (female), and he is overly amorous, that could be preventing her from laying - and it puts her health at risk also.

 

[Housemom408]

My first thought was, if there is one drake and one duck (female), and he is overly amorous, that could be preventing her from laying - and it puts her health at risk also.

Yes I only have one of each. He is NOT mean with her at all, and they don't mate an excessive amount. Maybe a couple times a week. He is just so mean to the chickens that they live with. I got them all at the same time and he just will not be nice to them anymore.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, boy. Delightful. Not.

 

[2yearfarmer]

Yes I only have one of each. He is NOT mean with her at all, and they don't mate an excessive amount. Maybe a couple times a week. He is just so mean to the chickens that they live with. I got them all at the same time and he just will not be nice to them anymore.

all I know is that a male duck will keep the hen safe from anything even the chickens it was born with just natural duck behavior cause my duck which I found out was a rouen protects my khaki Campbell female from my chickens cause he is protecting his female

 

[Housemom408]

Got my first duck egg today!