10 Baby Wood Ducks (1st thought they were Mallards)

[ThreeOfSeven]

It's a hot day, and this is where the kids have decided is a good place to stay cool. Not a big coop, but the other end of the coop has a large door that is also open, so there's ventilation and maybe a breeze. There's also a smaller coop-size door that the chickens can use so not to disturb the ducks. They like chilling out at this spot, but I'm not sure why one of the girls is in the nesting box. A little odd.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well we have to trust their instincts. They are so precious ❤

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

You can see on the drake's chest that they are starting their mid-summer molt. (I confess, I had to Google to find out when wild duck's molt.)

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

Mine doesn't even have a tuft anymore his head is all skinny and hardly any color.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Mine doesn't even have a tuft anymore his head is all skinny and hardly any color.

Holy cow! That's a lot of molting. This is their first year, so I'm a newbie for this molt. Thanks for the heads up. I won't panic when I see them go naked. <grin>

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

Holy cow! That's a lot of molting. This is their first year, so I'm a newbie for this molt. Thanks for the heads up. I won't panic when I see them go naked. <grin>

Here is a pic just now.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

That's your drake on the right? Oh my goodness!! He does look bald. Too funny!

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

That's your drake on the right? Oh my goodness!! He does look bald. Too funny!

Yea that's him. At least his wing feathers will grow back from being clipped last fall and he'll be able to fly again.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

I'm curious. Why were his wings clipped? Mine aren't, but they don't have any open "roofs." It's either netting or plastic roofing. I also have a lot of high-up roosts for my WDs that they use all the time. They're housed with my chickens, and chickens can be a real pain in the butt for the WDs, so they like having their own space.

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

I'm curious. Why were his wings clipped? Mine aren't, but they don't have any open "roofs." It's either netting or plastic roofing. I also have a lot of high-up roosts for my WDs that they use all the time. They're housed with my chickens, and chickens can be a real pain in the butt for the WDs, so they like having their own space.

When I first got them he was a pain to put in the coop at night and after a week he knocked himself silly one night so it was safer for him. I usually clip them when I get them to get them use to their surroundings and keep them from hurting themselves then when the feathers grow back they are fine.