Abandoned ducks

[GranderTheGander]

I fed them in the coop last Friday. Didnt see them at all Saturday or sunday, and in the meantime the lake in front of my house froze over. I called a friend that lives on a channel that leads to a smaller lake. She saw them Monday morning in front of her place. I took her a big bag of food to feed them if she sees them again. That is the last I heard. I am hoping for the best, but dang cold here next few day. When the ice is safe, I'm going to look around for them. I wish I could have done more!

You are doing the best you can, and the ducks are living the best they can. Domestic ducks can live without shelter in the winter, but that does depend on how cold it gets, and if the water totally freezes up for a long period of time. If they end up in someone's yard on the channel, if the channel freezes up, maybe your friend will find that out, and you can go get them. Hope for the best. The fact they didn't want to stay in the coop means they chose freedom over captivity.

 

[katjm87]

You are doing the best you can, and the ducks are living the best they can. Domestic ducks can live without shelter in the winter, but that does depend on how cold it gets, and if the water totally freezes up for a long period of time. If they end up in someone's yard on the channel, if the channel freezes up, maybe your friend will find that out, and you can go get them. Hope for the best. The fact they didn't want to stay in the coop means they chose freedom over captivity.

Thank you! I feel the same way! I worry every night about them. I have people on the look out for them. Hopefully they make it! Thanks again!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I doubt very seriously they actually choose but they don't know any better and haven't been trained to a run or coop for protection. My ducks would probably love to go to the mountain river down below us but since they know where home and coop are I think they would freak out if they were left there. My ducks, chickens, and geese go into their houses on their own. It's security to them.

 

[GranderTheGander]

I doubt very seriously they actually choose but they don't know any better and haven't been trained to a run or coop for protection. My ducks would probably love to go to the mountain river down below us but since they know where home and coop are I think they would freak out if they were left there. My ducks, chickens, and geese go into their houses on their own. It's security to them.

I see what you are saying, Miss Lydia, but I think they actually can choose the life they want, if given the choice. They were obviously raised in captivity and released. Ducks like that most often do indeed quickly become very reluctant to being grabbed or herded by humans, and only see humans as sources of food. These ducks were fed in a coop, but did not choose to stay, because they have gone "wild", where they have the freedom to do whatever they want.

Only, they aren't wild and can't fly away when water freezes. That's what they don't know before the first winter comes. They don't know about ice. Yet, even when there is ice, most will still do whatever they can to avoid being grabbed by a human, unless they are weakened by the elements and lack of food. The best way to determine if released domestics might make it somewhere in the winter is to observe if wild dabbling ducks stay there all winter or not. If not, a bad sign. (Of course, if there is duck hunting in the area, that may be the reason wild ducks don't stay somewhere in the cold weather months.)

P.S. By the way, if anyone needs to know, whole corn glides very well on ice. Dry cat food and Mazuri Maintenance can, too. (If there are hungry seagulls around, though, better stick with the whole corn, because the gulls can eat all the dry food.) Also, if the ice is mushy on top, whole corn might sink a little in the ice mush, but the ducks can still see it and will dabble for it.

 

[katjm87]

I see what you are saying, Miss Lydia, but I think they actually can choose the life they want, if given the choice. They were obviously raised in captivity and released. Ducks like that most often do indeed quickly become very reluctant to being grabbed or herded by humans, and only see humans as sources of food. These ducks were fed in a coop, but did not choose to stay, because they have gone "wild", where they have the freedom to do whatever they want.

Only, they aren't wild and can't fly away when water freezes. That's what they don't know before the first winter comes. They don't know about ice. Yet, even when there is ice, most will still do whatever they can to avoid being grabbed by a human, unless they are weakened by the elements and lack of food. The best way to determine if released domestics might make it somewhere in the winter is to observe if wild dabbling ducks stay there all winter or not. If not, a bad sign. (Of course, if there is duck hunting in the area, that may be the reason wild ducks don't stay somewhere in the cold weather months.)

P.S. By the way, if anyone needs to know, whole corn glides very well on ice. Dry cat food and Mazuri Maintenance can, too. (If there are hungry seagulls around, though, better stick with the whole corn, because the gulls can eat all the dry food.) Also, if the ice is mushy on top, whole corn might sink a little in the ice mush, but the ducks can still see it and will dabble for it.

Good to know!! I am going to try finding where they are this weekend. The weather will hopefully cooperate!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I grew up in Michigan... I can't imagine domestic ducks can survive the winter in that environment. If they don't freeze to death or get frostbite, then the predators will surely get them once the lake freezes over. Their best chance at survival is to have a group of people work together to catch them (I'd suggest using a large fishing net) and rehome somewhere else. Usually a vet or rescue will know someone willing to take them. They will not use the coop if they have never been trained to it. Even ducks who are trained to a coop usually still have to be manually encouraged to go inside every single night. They don't typically do it on their own.

 

[katjm87]

I grew up in Michigan... I can't imagine domestic ducks can survive the winter in that environment. If they don't freeze to death or get frostbite, then the predators will surely get them once the lake freezes over. Their best chance at survival is to have a group of people work together to catch them (I'd suggest using a large fishing net) and rehome somewhere else. Usually a vet or rescue will know someone willing to take them. They will not use the coop if they have never been trained to it. Even ducks who are trained to a coop usually still have to be manually encouraged to go inside every single night. They don't typically do it on their own.

Until the ice is safe that isnt an option. I am pretty much on my own on this......if I see them again, I am at least going to try to lure them with food to a swampy area near an old outlet to a creek that doesnt freeze. At that point I will look into a possible rescue if one is around. After the last few days I'm afraid i wont see them again. if this ever happens again I will be more prepared, that is for sure!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Until the ice is safe that isnt an option. I am pretty much on my own on this......if I see them again, I am at least going to try to lure them with food to a swampy area near an old outlet to a creek that doesnt freeze. At that point I will look into a possible rescue if one is around. After the last few days I'm afraid i wont see them again. if this ever happens again I will be more prepared, that is for sure!

Please don't think that I or anyone else here blames you for this situation. We all know you are doing your best and you wouldn't be here if you didn't care about them. Just sad that people didn't think about the consequences to the animal before they just abandoned them.

 

[katjm87]

Please don't think that I or anyone else here blames you for this situation. We all know you are doing your best and you wouldn't be here if you didn't care about them. Just sad that people didn't think about the consequences to the animal before they just abandoned them.

I00% agree! I am really angry about it!

 

[katjm87]

I00% agree! I am really angry about it!

Great news!! I located the ducks!! There is a guy across the lake that has an aerator going so he can keep his dock and boat lift in. There is a large area of open water. The ducks are there with some new friends! I talked to the owner of the house, she said they had ducks there through last winter as well. I am going to feed them on occasion and hope for the best!!