Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[switchbackmat69]

So they can get up

By the way if anybody has blue prints for their nest boxes or can share a good description of how they constructed them that would be very helpful  

They nessasarily need ramps. My Mandy's never have had then and they breed fine I built my nest boxes diffrent and went away from the hole. They don't realy need the wood duck hole. The tiny hole is to keep predators out more or less in the wild. I'll see if I can finde a picture of one of my boxes for you.

 

[switchbackmat69]

They nessasarily need ramps. My Mandy's never have had then and they breed fine I built my nest boxes diffrent and went away from the hole. They don't realy need the wood duck hole. The tiny hole is to keep predators out more or less in the wild. I'll see if I can finde a picture of one of my boxes for you.

 

[Buck Oakes]

They nessasarily need ramps. My Mandy's never have had then and they breed fine I built my nest boxes diffrent and went away from the hole. They don't realy need the wood duck hole. The tiny hole is to keep predators out more or less in the wild. I'll see if I can finde a picture of one of my boxes for you.

Oh thats cool and thanks for the picture, some mandarins just like to get off the ground, mine dont since they were raised along side call ducks but when they learned to fly when they were younger they were very very very ground cautious( i can not explain how many times I've been scratched in the face from a mandarin trying to land on my head after bath time ( again this is when they were just learning how to fly and they thought apparently my head/face was the tallest thing lol), they grew out of it though so

yeah some that are just more on their natural side tend to get off the ground. Mine kind of act like spoiled call ducks, just now they hate being pet, such a shame to they loved to when they were little oh well can't be babies forever lol

Btw mine still aren't breeding is this normal for their first year?

 

[switchbackmat69]

Oh thats cool and thanks for the picture, some mandarins just like to get off the ground, mine dont since they were raised along side call ducks but when they learned to fly when they were younger they were very very very ground cautious( i can not explain how many times I've been scratched in the face from a mandarin trying to land on my head after bath time ( again this is when they were just learning how to fly and they thought apparently my head/face was the tallest thing lol), they grew out of it though so   yeah some that are just more on their natural side tend to get off the ground. Mine kind of act like spoiled call ducks, just now they hate being pet, such a shame to they loved to when they were little oh well can't be babies forever lol 

Btw mine still aren't breeding is this normal for their first year? 

Mine are breeding but there 3 year olds. My new young birds are not breeding yet. Also mandarines are Secound year breeders. Some times they nest there first year but don't be surprised if they don't till there Secound year. That's normal. My oldest pair (4 year olds this year) didn't breed till last year when they wer 3 years old.

 

[Buck Oakes]

Okay so I should have nothing to worry about thanks again for your help/ info

 

[switchbackmat69]

Okay so I should have nothing to worry about thanks again for your help/ info

Your welcome

 

[chickenzzzz]

One of my mandarin drakes is loosing his breeding feathers. He almost looks like a female mandarin now. I'm worried this is not normal since its only the end of march and its too early. Has this ever happened to anyone? is there any chance that he will get new feathers?

 

[Zaid]

Hello everyone, I am a first time mandarin duck owner and wanted to see what you guys were feeding your ducks. I meanwhile have been feeding them scratch grain mixed with wild game feed. Should i continue to feed them this? thank you..

 

[cajunfowl0]

Hello everyone, I am a first time mandarin duck owner and wanted to see what you guys were feeding your ducks. I meanwhile have been feeding them scratch grain mixed with wild game feed. Should i continue to feed them this? thank you..

As long as it's not medicated your good. The wild game feed is good for them! Packed with protein! I hope you do well with them!!

 

[destinduck]

All my mandarins have bred their first year. I dont know of any of the feeds nowdays made with harmful medication. That was in the olden days. If your drake is losing feathers its because he is molting.No big deal. They all do that shortly after breeding. Sometimes it happens even a bit earlier.. I feed my mandies 16% chicken layer pellets (Nutrena brandbeing my fav) year round. It is very low in cost of all feeds and works great. Have been on it well over a decade so know it works and works well! Before and during breeding(right now for me) I supplement gamebird crumbles( at least 20%) to up the protein they want and need to have better egg laying. Good luck on yalls birds. Shawn Edited to say they favor raised boxes...alot. That would be the main reason they arent breeding first year for some