Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[CelticOaksFarm]

Don't free range eye candy waterfowl (aka woodies, mandarins ect) you are asking for heart ache when a predator takes them.

 

[Tlammy]

Are mandrians safe in the winter? (do they need special care..??)

 

[geese8]

how do i get ready for mandarins ive never had them before any info would be great

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

how do i get ready for mandarins ive never had them before any info would be great

There are many great threads on here worth reading about mandarins, as well as great pictures of aviaries to give you ideas on how to house them.

Are mandrians safe in the winter? (do they need special care..??)

Can't help you with winter, we live in FL and never see snow or cold temps like northerns do.

 

[kangababy]

They are fine in the winter. I am in North alabama and it gets cold but I know plenty of people up north that have them with no problems. Tree ducks are one of hte few that I k now that don't do that well in the really cold north winters because they are Southern birds. There are otheres but unless you want to spend the money then no worries.

No ormental ducks shoudl be free range and you don't want pinnioed Manadrins. They are above ground nesters and though some breeders have ramps for them if they are pinioned they still don;t do as well.. Plus do you really want to do that too them. Soapbox... it wold be like cutting off your arm at the elbow. I have only 2 pair of birds that are pinnioned and they are big geese that I bought as breeders and once I have babies I won;t do that to them.

Prices on the ornametal are alot higher than domestics because most only 1 clutch of eggs a year and have 6-8 babies. Some will lay 2 or 3 clutches if you take the babies away at a day old or the eggs once they start developing. one thing to remember the higher the price of the bird the harder it is to raise.

 

[geese8]

do u have any ideas on housing them?

 

[kangababy]

There are many ways. All depends on the landyou have and what you want to spend.
Our smallest pen is 25x50

 

[jahaworth89]

My husband and I just got our pair of mandarins a few weeks ago. They are really cool little ducks that I love to just watch.

My husband built them a pen last week and also a nesting box, but I was wondering 1) How high off the ground does it need to be and 2) do we need to add any sort of netting on the inside or out to help them get in or out of it?

 

[waterdog]

We live in Michigan, it gets below zero here some nights in the winter and they do fine just make sure you have something to block the wind and open water 24/7. The open water is the most important or they can get frost bite on there feet. We do have a shed with straw in each pen but only on the coldest nights do any of the ducks go in most of the time they just stay in the pond.

 

[adriano]

My husband and I just got our pair of mandarins a few weeks ago. They are really cool little ducks that I love to just watch.

My husband built them a pen last week and also a nesting box, but I was wondering 1) How high off the ground does it need to be and 2) do we need to add any sort of netting on the inside or out to help them get in or out of it?

A strip of wire cloth or wire mesh on inside 1/2 inch square i use gives them a grip to get out.
Are the ducks pioned ? If so they need a ramp up to the nest box.
Height off ground for pioned mandarins in a secure pen to entrance hole i use about 18 inches from ground to hole.