- Apr 17, 2008
- 30
- 0
- 32
Alright, since I've caused quite a bit of flames here, I would like to apologize and try to explain to those who disapprove of my actions. Please note, especially waterfowlrescue, that I am not trying to cause more trouble or seem rude, but I believe that this sensitive topic is a lot like religion and politics, a lot of you are very closed-minded to this subject and I realize that you have seen or heard cases were the animals do die, get injured, and starve and refuse to believe that there is a way to do it properly. Once again, please understand I'm just trying to clear things up and explain.
1. LIVING CONDITIONS
I live by a 550 acre public lake. We have had many different types of waterfowl here. Mostly Mallards and Canada Geese, but I have seem American Black Ducks, Mergansers, and even an Osprey once. My house is less than 100 yards away from my back door. I live in a condo in a small neighborhood by one of many alcoves on the lake. In fact it is the biggest and includes a beach, a boardwalk, a rocky shore, and a fountain. Many families with young children like to come down and feed them bread and non-nutritional food. I buy 50 pound bags of flock feed from a local feed store and try to feed them everyday, if not two-four times a day. As for predators and other problems, I sometimes see hawks but I've watched the ducks while there was a hawk around and they known what it is due to the fact that they freeze and watch it. Also, I known that predators and miscellaneous are not problems at this lake due to the fact that there are ducks that are easily recognized and Tennessee (a black swedish male) has been at the lake for over seven years now. Trust me, I care enough about ducks (always have since I was four) to not be an idiot to put these precious animals in an unsafe habitat.
2. HOW I HATCH AND RAISE THESE ANIMALS
I like to clarify that I do not steal eggs from the wild Mallards' nests. I have once (two to be exact) and I did hatch one successfully and I do not prefer Mallards, I believe they are meant to be wild, not domestic. Also the remaining nine eggs in the nest were crushed by the female, due to the male trying to mate with her while on the nest. So in a way I did save a duckling. I will explain later in the next section where I get my eggs. Aright, so I only hatch one or two at a time, and after they hatch, and keep them for about 1-2 weeks, because I live in a condo with four cats and cannot raise them myself. My oldest friend and trusted caretaker lives in the booneys on 11 aces. She has a very small private lake in her backyard. The ducks then stay with her until they have full plumage. She does keep them pinned up at night and allows them to go up to the lake during the day. Now, you may ask, why doesn't your friend keep them? She has a major raccoon and hawk problem, in fact all the ducks she ordered from hatcheries years before, usually ended up being killed. We both agree that my lake is a safer place for the ducks to live. So, after the ducks have full plumage, they are then released into the lake and are supervised carefully by me for the first 2-3 weeks, insuring that they are fitting in with the other ducks and seem to be getting enough food. Then, in the winter they are monitored closely for their first winter/year. Many of the ducks follow the geese that have always found year after year a small pond in the frozen lake, which conveniently is always within walking distance from my house.
3. CASES OF SUCCESSFUL 'RELEASES'
Ever since my family and I moved to where we live now, I have fallen in love with waterfowl, especially ducks. I used to find eggs (always a lonesome one) and tried to hatch it under a heat lamp in a box, they were usually infertile to begin with. Then later I learned there was more to incubating an egg then just heat. My best friend as I mentioned above never really had interest in ducks until I introduced them to her. Then in the spring of 2005 she got four adorable Giant Pekins from a local feed store. Hope, Sandy, Gus, and Bob. Two hens, two drakes. I remember being absolutely jealous of her, seeing as I had always wanted ducks of my own. She provided night shelter for them and an open water from her private lake. Then tragedy struck. The two drakes where killed by raccoon at night, the evidence displayed feathers littering the outside and inside of the locked pin, my friend suspected that the lock wasn't good enough to keep them out and they dragged the poor things out before killing them. Then, my friend's favorite, Sandy was carried off by a red-tailed hawk later in the short distance of time. All that remain was Hope, ironically the duck she asked me to name and said it would be mine. Most of you know that ducks are not solitary animals and crave company, and poor Hope would always be up at her lake quacking loudly for others. My friend feared that Hope would be killed off too and became very upset about it. I recommend instead of waiting for her to be killed by a raccoon, hawk, or coyote that we try to release her in my lake. She loved the idea, seeing as the lake was bigger and she would have company. I don't really remember the first years she was there, but she has been their even since and now a has a entourage of two drakes, one a Mallard and the other Tennessee and Black Swedish. I'm happy to say she is now sitting on her first ever batch of eggs.
Now, I have always cared for ducks and I did do my research before deciding to recommend the idea to my friend. Now I know for fact that some of the other ducks we have were also released. We had another pekin, but he did pass due to a injury to his leg and then shock. We have a black swedish, Tennessee, and a male Hybrid 300, we did have a female hybrid, but she passed many years ago by being frozen in the ice. Now, here is an example of something I would never do and I do HIGHLY consider this cruel: About three years ago a family who lived by me had a granddaughter who got "Easter Ducks". One was a male Black Swedish and the other a female Rougen. They were probably barely over 3 weeks old, just starting to lose their baby feathers. I found them down at my local beach and knew that the family did 'dump' them. I believe that you dump a duck when it is not an adult yet, meaning not having full plumage. Releasing a duck is when is capable of protecting itself and being able to fend for itself as well. Anyway, I named them Bob and Susan. I did care for them as best as I could, sometimes even catching them and taking them to my house for a day or two to recuperate. I helped them through there tough times and they did become adults. For the first time, I felt like they were my ducks.
I have a funny story to tell about these two ducks. My old friend, the one who cares for the ducks, was over and we were giving a bath to them, and my parents were both working at the time. A threatening storm was approaching us from the distance and while I cleaned up and told my friend to keep them here but take them up to the lake hill and if it starts raining bring them with you. Sure enough it starting raining and she brought them back inside. We put them in a cardboard box with a towel over the top, seeing as we would wait for the storm to blow over before taking them back down the lake. So we were going to chill down in the basement (which was were the ducks were) and then while I was up stairs I heard the tornado siren. I had two cats at the time (now four) and I gathered them up while my friend got pillows and blankets, and we stayed in the basement, cats and ducks alike (the cats never knew the ducks were there, they were so quiet!) and watched the weather until it finally cleared up. Sadly, one day I found Susan alone on her back with a broken leg, I took her to a bird care center and they had to put her down due to other health problems. Meanwhile Bob just disappeared, but I suspect that he may be the Hybrid 300 we have now, but I can't be sure.
Anyway, this is my first year hatching and I first hatched Pogo a female Mallard who sadly disappeared at my friend's house. Then her ducks: Tao, Susie, and Faye were all bought from the local feed store and have been living at my lake for about a month now. The second duck Goobber was released with his mate and store bought, Saydi about a week ago, they are both happy and fitting in. Goobber is so brave he fights with the geese and wins, in fact, they are now afraid of him. As for where the eggs came from, Pogo came from a wild Mallard's nest, and like I stated above Mallard's don't interest me anymore. Gubber was found near the shoreline all by his lonesome self, half on land half in water. I didn't think it was fertile but it turned out to be a beautiful duck! Now I have three eggs I bought from New Jersey and two from Hope's nest, which I believe can't be considered stealing, seeing as she is not categorized as a 'wild' breed and she did belong to my friend as well as me.
4. CONCLUSION
So here is very long and descriptive explanation. I hope that shed some light on the topic and maybe even not convinced but made some see that is very well possible to release (not dump) adult domestic ducks into the wild. They really aren't living in the wild, just half wild half domestic. I think that ducks are just as safe in my lake as they would be in human care. I know some beg to differ and that is fine, but I believe that ducks, just like any other animal, can adjust to their surroundings and ducks do have wild duck instincts that help them, just like cats and dogs, just like us. Injuries and deaths cannot always be preventing, even in human care. There are threats from diseases and pecking order issues as well and nature disasters. I am sorry for upsetting many people, you especially waterfowlrescue, but I hope you can see my side of this argument. Please understand I don't mean to come by as annoying or rude, but I believe in my case, that the word 'dumped' can in some (maybe rare) cases can be pronounced as 'released'. I do appreciate you being concerned though, you are just trying to make sure these animals are safe and cared for, and I can reassure you that they are. Please try not flame, I only meant to explain and maybe shed some light on this sensitive subject.
1. LIVING CONDITIONS
I live by a 550 acre public lake. We have had many different types of waterfowl here. Mostly Mallards and Canada Geese, but I have seem American Black Ducks, Mergansers, and even an Osprey once. My house is less than 100 yards away from my back door. I live in a condo in a small neighborhood by one of many alcoves on the lake. In fact it is the biggest and includes a beach, a boardwalk, a rocky shore, and a fountain. Many families with young children like to come down and feed them bread and non-nutritional food. I buy 50 pound bags of flock feed from a local feed store and try to feed them everyday, if not two-four times a day. As for predators and other problems, I sometimes see hawks but I've watched the ducks while there was a hawk around and they known what it is due to the fact that they freeze and watch it. Also, I known that predators and miscellaneous are not problems at this lake due to the fact that there are ducks that are easily recognized and Tennessee (a black swedish male) has been at the lake for over seven years now. Trust me, I care enough about ducks (always have since I was four) to not be an idiot to put these precious animals in an unsafe habitat.
2. HOW I HATCH AND RAISE THESE ANIMALS
I like to clarify that I do not steal eggs from the wild Mallards' nests. I have once (two to be exact) and I did hatch one successfully and I do not prefer Mallards, I believe they are meant to be wild, not domestic. Also the remaining nine eggs in the nest were crushed by the female, due to the male trying to mate with her while on the nest. So in a way I did save a duckling. I will explain later in the next section where I get my eggs. Aright, so I only hatch one or two at a time, and after they hatch, and keep them for about 1-2 weeks, because I live in a condo with four cats and cannot raise them myself. My oldest friend and trusted caretaker lives in the booneys on 11 aces. She has a very small private lake in her backyard. The ducks then stay with her until they have full plumage. She does keep them pinned up at night and allows them to go up to the lake during the day. Now, you may ask, why doesn't your friend keep them? She has a major raccoon and hawk problem, in fact all the ducks she ordered from hatcheries years before, usually ended up being killed. We both agree that my lake is a safer place for the ducks to live. So, after the ducks have full plumage, they are then released into the lake and are supervised carefully by me for the first 2-3 weeks, insuring that they are fitting in with the other ducks and seem to be getting enough food. Then, in the winter they are monitored closely for their first winter/year. Many of the ducks follow the geese that have always found year after year a small pond in the frozen lake, which conveniently is always within walking distance from my house.
3. CASES OF SUCCESSFUL 'RELEASES'
Ever since my family and I moved to where we live now, I have fallen in love with waterfowl, especially ducks. I used to find eggs (always a lonesome one) and tried to hatch it under a heat lamp in a box, they were usually infertile to begin with. Then later I learned there was more to incubating an egg then just heat. My best friend as I mentioned above never really had interest in ducks until I introduced them to her. Then in the spring of 2005 she got four adorable Giant Pekins from a local feed store. Hope, Sandy, Gus, and Bob. Two hens, two drakes. I remember being absolutely jealous of her, seeing as I had always wanted ducks of my own. She provided night shelter for them and an open water from her private lake. Then tragedy struck. The two drakes where killed by raccoon at night, the evidence displayed feathers littering the outside and inside of the locked pin, my friend suspected that the lock wasn't good enough to keep them out and they dragged the poor things out before killing them. Then, my friend's favorite, Sandy was carried off by a red-tailed hawk later in the short distance of time. All that remain was Hope, ironically the duck she asked me to name and said it would be mine. Most of you know that ducks are not solitary animals and crave company, and poor Hope would always be up at her lake quacking loudly for others. My friend feared that Hope would be killed off too and became very upset about it. I recommend instead of waiting for her to be killed by a raccoon, hawk, or coyote that we try to release her in my lake. She loved the idea, seeing as the lake was bigger and she would have company. I don't really remember the first years she was there, but she has been their even since and now a has a entourage of two drakes, one a Mallard and the other Tennessee and Black Swedish. I'm happy to say she is now sitting on her first ever batch of eggs.
Now, I have always cared for ducks and I did do my research before deciding to recommend the idea to my friend. Now I know for fact that some of the other ducks we have were also released. We had another pekin, but he did pass due to a injury to his leg and then shock. We have a black swedish, Tennessee, and a male Hybrid 300, we did have a female hybrid, but she passed many years ago by being frozen in the ice. Now, here is an example of something I would never do and I do HIGHLY consider this cruel: About three years ago a family who lived by me had a granddaughter who got "Easter Ducks". One was a male Black Swedish and the other a female Rougen. They were probably barely over 3 weeks old, just starting to lose their baby feathers. I found them down at my local beach and knew that the family did 'dump' them. I believe that you dump a duck when it is not an adult yet, meaning not having full plumage. Releasing a duck is when is capable of protecting itself and being able to fend for itself as well. Anyway, I named them Bob and Susan. I did care for them as best as I could, sometimes even catching them and taking them to my house for a day or two to recuperate. I helped them through there tough times and they did become adults. For the first time, I felt like they were my ducks.
I have a funny story to tell about these two ducks. My old friend, the one who cares for the ducks, was over and we were giving a bath to them, and my parents were both working at the time. A threatening storm was approaching us from the distance and while I cleaned up and told my friend to keep them here but take them up to the lake hill and if it starts raining bring them with you. Sure enough it starting raining and she brought them back inside. We put them in a cardboard box with a towel over the top, seeing as we would wait for the storm to blow over before taking them back down the lake. So we were going to chill down in the basement (which was were the ducks were) and then while I was up stairs I heard the tornado siren. I had two cats at the time (now four) and I gathered them up while my friend got pillows and blankets, and we stayed in the basement, cats and ducks alike (the cats never knew the ducks were there, they were so quiet!) and watched the weather until it finally cleared up. Sadly, one day I found Susan alone on her back with a broken leg, I took her to a bird care center and they had to put her down due to other health problems. Meanwhile Bob just disappeared, but I suspect that he may be the Hybrid 300 we have now, but I can't be sure.
Anyway, this is my first year hatching and I first hatched Pogo a female Mallard who sadly disappeared at my friend's house. Then her ducks: Tao, Susie, and Faye were all bought from the local feed store and have been living at my lake for about a month now. The second duck Goobber was released with his mate and store bought, Saydi about a week ago, they are both happy and fitting in. Goobber is so brave he fights with the geese and wins, in fact, they are now afraid of him. As for where the eggs came from, Pogo came from a wild Mallard's nest, and like I stated above Mallard's don't interest me anymore. Gubber was found near the shoreline all by his lonesome self, half on land half in water. I didn't think it was fertile but it turned out to be a beautiful duck! Now I have three eggs I bought from New Jersey and two from Hope's nest, which I believe can't be considered stealing, seeing as she is not categorized as a 'wild' breed and she did belong to my friend as well as me.
4. CONCLUSION
So here is very long and descriptive explanation. I hope that shed some light on the topic and maybe even not convinced but made some see that is very well possible to release (not dump) adult domestic ducks into the wild. They really aren't living in the wild, just half wild half domestic. I think that ducks are just as safe in my lake as they would be in human care. I know some beg to differ and that is fine, but I believe that ducks, just like any other animal, can adjust to their surroundings and ducks do have wild duck instincts that help them, just like cats and dogs, just like us. Injuries and deaths cannot always be preventing, even in human care. There are threats from diseases and pecking order issues as well and nature disasters. I am sorry for upsetting many people, you especially waterfowlrescue, but I hope you can see my side of this argument. Please understand I don't mean to come by as annoying or rude, but I believe in my case, that the word 'dumped' can in some (maybe rare) cases can be pronounced as 'released'. I do appreciate you being concerned though, you are just trying to make sure these animals are safe and cared for, and I can reassure you that they are. Please try not flame, I only meant to explain and maybe shed some light on this sensitive subject.
