21 day mallard

[Cherib603]

My point is that we can't decide what needs to be done with the duck until we know what kind of duck it is. If we knew for sure that it was a domestic duck from her friends' flock then maybe she could work on introducing to the flock when it's older, or she could choose to keep it and get it a companion.

 

[acriswell4]

My point is that we can't decide what needs to be done with the duck until we know what kind of duck it is. If we knew for sure that it was a domestic duck from her friends' flock then maybe she could work on introducing to the flock when it's older, or she could choose to keep it and get it a companion.

How do I find out for sure? Is there a way by looking at them?

 

[Cherib603]

Show the duckling to your friend. He'll know if is the same breed as his ducks.

 

[acriswell4]

How do I find out for sure? Is there a way by looking at them?

He told me it was from his duck and that she went missing,

 

[acriswell4]

This is a tricky one, because *right* and *legal* may not be the same thing for this duckling. Would it have been good to turn it over to a rehab center on day 1 so it could've been integrated into a flock and actually know that it's a duck? Absolutely! Water under the bridge, that didn't happen. This duck is imprinted on humans. Would anyone on here advocate releasing an imprinted duck into the wild....no. Unfortunately, things aren't always black and white and this is no exception. Can the duck forage? Bc my two imprinted girls don't unless I provide the forage. They ignore natural forage growing from the ground completely, etc. I could not and would not ever release them, it would be a certain death sentence. They have no fear of humans, cats, dogs, etc. Mine are domestic ducks, but at the end of the day, an imprinted duck is an imprinted duck. Very tough call to make. Good luck!

Yes he can forage, from the first day I got him I have shown him to dig in the dirt and put weeds in its water to eat. We go to the lake and river all the time and it will go under water and find food or it digs in the mud for bugs it loves little fish and worms oh and it is a great spider catcher

 

[Cherib603]

I'm not for sure its wild, my friend has ducks on his property that he had bought but they just run wild, I guess one had babies but he can't seem to find the momma or any other babies, I offered to help since I am off for the summer and have time. The other ducks were trying to hurt it. It has a whole in its webbing from something.

Sorry, I thought you were not sure it was one of his.
How is the hole in it's foot?

 

[acriswell4]

From what I've seen at the one wildlife centre I visited, they just keep ducklings of similar age together and release them when they're old enough. This was in Amsterdam though, so they are not really "wild" mallards

If the duckling ended up living at the friend's property, would that be legal?

I called a rehabilitation place that we have around here and they said they have a group of orphaned ducklings around mines age. I want to do the right thing by this duck, is it domesticated or wild I don't know for a fact, my friend said it is domestic, if it is domestic do they still have the migratory instinct? If it is domestic aNd I take it to the place will it survive in the wild? Will mine be able to forget about me and humans and be able to survive in the wild,


After reading up on wild mallards and having them I seen that if they are on your property but not caged and are free to come and go that you can't get in trouble. I'm not about braking the law.

 

[Amiga]

He told me it was from his duck and that she went missing,

If that is the case, then it's domestic, and if so, and he or she is being raised as a domestic, then the chances for survival in the wild would not be good.

Perhaps I am not following closely enough, but I am not sure I comprehend the question.

Is it that you don't think you can continue to care for the duck and so are trying to decide the best new home for it? Certainly, releasing a duck that has been reared as a domestic is not good. Ducks get rehomed all the time into the care of people who know how to raise them.

 

[Cherib603]

I think the original poster is confused between "wild" and "domestic"

 

[Amiga]

Okay, hmmm


When it comes to the MBA, wild means non-domesticated. Whether or not the duck has been socialized to be used to people or not, if its parents are domesticated, it is not wild. So it is not behavior or upbringing, it is bloodlines that make it domestic or not. Did that help?