Could somebody please name this duck breed...

[Miss Lydia]

Once they were outside 24/7 I began mixing scratch grains in with the crumbles and I still give it to them every morning. What I did this morning was tear up more green leaf lettuce then usual and left a share of it down at the river's edge. When I got home and had the chance to check the duck was nowhere to be seen and neither was the lettuce. I didn't really expect to see the duck once the sun burnt off the mist because even in the water the sun is wicked hot. My porch is shaded and is showing a temp of 92 degrees F.

I stopped at the feed store on the way home this afternoon to see if the owners were missing any ducks from their pond. The idea to post pictures/information is a great idea. The idea of catching it makes me laugh when I picture myself staggering around out in the water with my fishing net. If the water is down and running slow it might be possible but with it running high and fast like today my only chance of catching it would be if it's on land in the high grasses. From what I'm reading here if it's going to stick around I need to catch it for it's own health and safety. Let's hope it knows how much it loves peas!!! I don't want to find it dead or sick or hurt. And from what I'm learning about ducks I really don't like seeing it alone.

I'll keep posting updates and I'm grateful for all the advice and suggestions. Looking at the sky right now I'm hoping it knows how to go to ground because it's fixin' to storm big time.

Once you gain it's trust by feeding it close to shore you can probably get it to follow you if you offer food as a reward. Bread always works for motivation,

 

[sourland]

I'm gonna Guess Mule Duck. That Pattern and Tail feathers looks like a mule to me.

X 2 I know a person who has 3 mallard/muscovy crosses that are identical to that duck.

 

[Makenzie]

Quote:

After my last post it did nothing but rain until near dark last night. River has been up with a fast current and though I went down to the shoreline three or four times each day, shook a bag, called out and left a handful of greens, I saw nothing of my visitor and the greens never got touched.

This morning I looked again while taking the dog out. River is down but there wasn't any duck drifting on it and I told the dog to find the duck. She found a duck all right, found two actually only they were hers. Back inside a couple hours later I passed by the front door and saw this:

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww it's found a home, Congrats.. He is beautiful!!

 

[sourland]

I think that you have another duck.

 

[Makenzie]

LOL!!!

I was very happy to see he was okay and very shocked to find him outside my front door. It's the only time I've seen him out of the river. Whether I keep him or not I intend to make the attempts (notice I already see it as a multiple attempts kind of thing) to catch him for his own safety and health. I'm calling the duck him because I have heard deeper versions of the sounds Squeak makes but haven't heard any kind of quacking. I wish I understood duck body language better because I know watching them I was seeing a form of communication.

As much as I've thought my two have grown he dwarfs them both. When I heard the sound his wings make it made me see just how much more growing up mine have to do cause their wings don't make any sound when flapping. He will come to me at the sound of a bag shaking but his personal comfort zone is keeping him at least 3' from me at all times. He doesn't know he's supposed to like peas or any other produce I tried enticing him with. However, scratch grains he went for like he's been starved for months. And unlike my two who scatter 75% of it all over the ground he went through methodically eating at least 90% of what I put out. Put some in a deep plastic container of water and it took him awhile but he eventually got brave enough to drink and boy did he drink. Went in the house and back out again about 10 minutes later and he was nowhere to be found. Had a hunch and sure enough he was back by the river. When he heard my voice he turned and waddled right back up the hill, over to where I'd put the scratch grains and water and just watched me. I gave him more, he ate and drank most of it, then turned and went right back over to the path and down to the river. I need to have a place ready for him before I try catching him. Though I think throwing the scratch grains into what would be his enclosure will have him walking right to them and I'll be able to close him in then.

Got myself a busy day so I'm sure hoping the sun stays here and the rain stays away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

LOL!!!

I was very happy to see he was okay and very shocked to find him outside my front door. It's the only time I've seen him out of the river. Whether I keep him or not I intend to make the attempts (notice I already see it as a multiple attempts kind of thing) to catch him for his own safety and health. I'm calling the duck him because I have heard deeper versions of the sounds Squeak makes but haven't heard any kind of quacking. I wish I understood duck body language better because I know watching them I was seeing a form of communication.

As much as I've thought my two have grown he dwarfs them both. When I heard the sound his wings make it made me see just how much more growing up mine have to do cause their wings don't make any sound when flapping. He will come to me at the sound of a bag shaking but his personal comfort zone is keeping him at least 3' from me at all times. He doesn't know he's supposed to like peas or any other produce I tried enticing him with. However, scratch grains he went for like he's been starved for months. And unlike my two who scatter 75% of it all over the ground he went through methodically eating at least 90% of what I put out. Put some in a deep plastic container of water and it took him awhile but he eventually got brave enough to drink and boy did he drink. Went in the house and back out again about 10 minutes later and he was nowhere to be found. Had a hunch and sure enough he was back by the river. When he heard my voice he turned and waddled right back up the hill, over to where I'd put the scratch grains and water and just watched me. I gave him more, he ate and drank most of it, then turned and went right back over to the path and down to the river. I need to have a place ready for him before I try catching him. Though I think throwing the scratch grains into what would be his enclosure will have him walking right to them and I'll be able to close him in then.

Got myself a busy day so I'm sure hoping the sun stays here and the rain stays away.

Your gaining his trust so just keep going in that direction, When someone dumped 3 drakes down below our home on the river I befriended them and started out bringing them scratch grains too, oh ,my gosh they acted like they were starved to death, then I gradually got closer and closer just sitting with them, after a couple weeks hopefully it won't take you this long but I had to walk a fer piece at our river it is so steep in places and no acsess but I eventually found a really good spot and started feeding them there everyday then set up a dog xpen with the opening facing the river, put the scratch towards the back and when they waddled in closed the opening up picked them up put them into a crate and brought them home. They were both mules and little did I know that a Muscovy drake had been set out with them but he was able to fly and ended up right below our home on the river so it was much easier to bring him home. I wish you the best in getting him inside and safe.

 

[MallardDuckling]

He is beatuiful! Hopefully you can find a home for him, or even better, keep him yourself.

Keep us updated on what you decided to do.

 

[Makenzie]

Your gaining his trust so just keep going in that direction, When someone dumped 3 drakes down below our home on the river I befriended them and started out bringing them scratch grains too, oh ,my gosh they acted like they were starved to death, then I gradually got closer and closer just sitting with them, after a couple weeks hopefully it won't take you this long but I had to walk a fer piece at our river it is so steep in places and no acsess but I eventually found a really good spot and started feeding them there everyday then set up a dog xpen with the opening facing the river, put the scratch towards the back and when they waddled in closed the opening up picked them up put them into a crate and brought them home. They were both mules and little did I know that a Muscovy drake had been set out with them but he was able to fly and ended up right below our home on the river so it was much easier to bring him home. I wish you the best in getting him inside and safe.

I haven't seen him since the day of my last post. I keep my eyes and ears open though and check the river several times every day. If the weather cooperates I have a friend who is willing to get dropped off further upriver with me. We'll float from there past here and end up in the park 3 miles away. About a 2 hour float and a good way to listen and look for any ducks.

And Miss Lydia, you're the reason I found this fantastic forum! I'd just gotten Squeak and Pip and was looking for an answer to some question I had. It hit on something you'd said and took me to this forum to read your complete answer. Once I got here and saw that you were in WNC I had to laugh. I transplanted myself to Jackson County, NC several years ago. Because of my dog the river became part of our daily lives even though we didn't live alongside it. Then midsummer of '09 I had an opportunity to move where I am now. I lucked out big time with the move since the old fire road to the river is at the edge of my yard. Lucked out again when they began keeping it cut back for me. Life is good...

 

[Makenzie]

I got a phone call at 8:30 this morning from a neighbor at the start of our road. She wanted to know if I had both my ducklings because there was a huge duck on the lawn of a nearby neighbor so I started walking down the middle of the road with scratch grains and water trying to see what she was talking about. I live right before the dead end of our unpaved road and with only 5 houses on each side walking in the middle of it isn't as foolish as is sounds. Finally saw him on a lawn, shook the bag and he came a running once again leaving that 3' of space between us. I began walking backwards making a trail of grains, would stop and put down the water until he lost interest in it, then pick up the water and keep going. We were almost at my driveway when he suddenly turned and started moving faster. Dang if that big old thing didn't start flapping his huge wings and begin flying!

He flew to the river, turned and started upriver to land right where I first saw him. So I made a trail of grains up from the river to the the container I had his water in and made sure the water was in the shade. By then it was after 10AM and a neighbor said I was more entertaining then television coaxing that duck down the road.

On one hand I feel alot of relief knowing he can fly himself out of danger. But on the other hand him flying means he could have come from anywhere. I don't have a clue where he's goes when he's nowhere to be seen here but no matter. I will keep working to build up his trust in me, will catch him if the opportunity presents itself, and will leave grains and water out for him.