Can ducklings stay together if one fledges weeks before the other?

[Jenny Kikia]

I found an abandoned duckling after a storm and looked for her mother for hours. As it got late I decided to take her home for the night because she would have died from hypothermia or something would have snatched her up. In the early morning I returned to attempt to find her mother and siblings. I checked all of the surrounding ponds and lakes, bushes and any signs of a nest and nothing. Anyway, I eventually decided to take her to my vet /aviary sanctuary they told me that Mallard ducks are now invasive in the state of Florida. So SPCA wouldn't take her. So naturally I took her home after trying to get her to go with some other mother ducks, I didn't realize that she would imprint on me and she refused to go. Raising one duckling was very hard because I couldn't leave her eyesight without her losing her mind. So I went and found a pet store that actually had ducks. They are at least 2 weeks apart and so far they have really bonded and the little one follows my older one around everywhere. I am concerned though because my older duck is starting to get a lot of her feathers. I'm wondering if she will wait for her sister to get her feathers before she takes off. I've invested a lot of time and money in them now, but in all honest I don't really want to clip their wings. I believe bird should fly and although I built them a really nice duck run if she happens to fly away, what can I do? That would be the nature of things. My main concern is that she will leave her little sister behind. Does anybody have any insight? Because they are already well bonded, do you think that she will wait for her sister to fledge? I'm so glad I got her a friend but I don't want little one to be lonely and all by herself one day. They are quite a handful! I have two Flemish giant rabbits that are 22 lb. A dog and a cat. Some fish and my son found a white Fancy feeder mouse and we decided to keep her. I've had snakes and lots of animals in my life, but ducks have to be the neediest and messiest creatures on God's green earth! They are also the sweetest and most loving little animals! Keeping them away from all the predators in my home and outside in Florida has been quite a chore. Not to mention cleaning up after them every 5 seconds! I guess no good deed goes unpunished as the saying goes! I've never had birds in my life before. I've had lots of friends with birds, but I've never owned a bird. Sweet natured ducklings. The kid that worked at the pest store couldn't tell me a thing about the duckling we purchased! They thought they were turkey chicks! I'm not so sure that the little one is a Mallard, they have the same markings on their faces but the baby has darker lines on its ears...it might be a Rouen duck, hard to tell! I'm hoping she is a girl as well... the last thing I need is more ducklings! This is harder than my actual child when he was born! Thank you for listening!

 

[SilverBirds]

How old are they? Can you post a picture of your babies? Mind posting pictures of your run? Your second duck is most likely a Rouen, which means she won't be able to get more than a few feet off the ground. I'd think your Mallard will want to stay, it's where her flock is, and there is reliable source of food and water. But if you do not clip her wings or keep her penned up that may change when the time comes for their fall migration. If you allow her to fly away, her chances of survival outside your care are slim. She'll have to find a flock to travel with, and if she can't she'll most likely succumb to predators. She may be less weary of humans which could get her killed as well. I would advise you to reconsider clipping her wings. Ducks unlike other birds do not depend on the ability to fly. It will not hurt her if done correctly, and you won't have to worry about a lonely duck. She'll be perfectly happy on the ground playing in a pool with her sister.

 

[FrostRanger]

I would 100% either clip her wings or cover your run. Letting her fly away would not only be bad for her but bad for the ecosystem overall because as the people at the sanctuary told you, mallards are invasive in Florida, you do not want to promote an increase in wild numbers of mallards in Florida, especially since Florida is already dealing with so many issues with other invasives. To let her go into the wild after being in your care would be irresponsible. She will live a perfectly happy life with you and your other duck

 

[Jenny Kikia]

How old are they? Can you post a picture of your babies? Mind posting pictures of your run? Your second duck is most likely a Rouen, which means she won't be able to get more than a few feet off the ground. I'd think your Mallard will want to stay, it's where her flock is, and there is reliable source of food and water. But if you do not clip her wings or keep her penned up that may change when the time comes for their fall migration. If you allow her to fly away, her chances of survival outside your care are slim. She'll have to find a flock to travel with, and if she can't she'll most likely succumb to predators. She may be less weary of humans which could get her killed as well. I would advise you to reconsider clipping her wings. Ducks unlike other birds do not depend on the ability to fly. It will not hurt her if done correctly, and you won't have to worry about a lonely duck. She'll be perfectly happy on the ground playing in a pool with her sister.

They are about three months old now. Yeah she's wild alright! Her personality is way more stand off than her pet store sister. I'm saying that they are girls but I am not % the vet said that she could clip her wings and do it right so they grow back. She's been flying in and out of the stock tank pond and flying onto my bed I'm not done with the duck run as I hadn't planned on ever having ducks. My Flemish giant rabbits come and go through the doggie door with the cat and dog and ducks during the day and I make all of them come in at night! Especially my cat! He's been killing small animals and I'm not happy about it! He's terrified of the ducks thank God! But I don't let him around the ducks at night! I'm desperately trying to get them outside!! It's been 98° here this month and it slowed me down! The ducks spend the day outside, either in the different raised ponds in my yard, splash pad or love hanging with me when I am raking the leaves and eating all the bugs! We have so many in Florida! They are very good exterminators!! I really didn't want one duck let alone two but I'm in love now Well thanks for giving me something to consider. I definitely don't want her getting killed by predators and we have a lot! Coyotes, alligators etc. And I don't want her landing on some pond with some big gator and her getting swallowed whole!