Could somebody please name this duck breed...

[Makenzie]

Could somebody please name this duck breed... I made one of my regular trips down to the river to get water and let the dog romp around in the water when I saw something move. I got the dog out of the water and up at the house and came back down to discover the bird had made no attempt to leave. I left it alone and was filling water jugs and noticed it heading upstream until a bag that was in my pocket russled. The duck turned right back around and zoomed directly into me. This time of year it can easily find food if it's wild. If it isn't I would feel pretty lousy not finding something for it to eat. And if it is wild why would it come so dang close to me?

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[Lute]

...an American Black Duck? They come in lots of different shades of blacks, greens and browns.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Looks nothing like the black duck. Resembles our Khaki Campbell drake though. Maybe got loose from his home or was dumped. Of its a Khaki it's a domestic duck.

 

[Makenzie]

When I went out to take care of Squeak and Pip I went to a spot overlooking the river to look for the duck and there it was. When I moved slightly it's head shot around and it began heading in my direction. I think it's beautiful but it looks so forlorn and alone. Such a difference from my two clowns who are always talking and always hungry. They are only a little over 6 weeks old.

I don't want to encourage it to stick around if it knows how to get back home but I also don't want to watch it starve. I'd figured out a way to let my two hang out in the river when the water is down without a danger of them swimming off. Putting up a portable plastic poultry net when the river is low gives them a chance to be in the water and forage in both the water and the grass. I don't know enough about ducks to understand all the body language and vocals so I'd rather mine didn't interact with it to make sure none of them get hurt.

Do you think I should feed the duck the with what I'm feeding my two?

 

[Oregon Blues]

If he is running to you for food, it is a domestic duck. He is some sort of cross. Perhaps Cayuga crossed with a barnyard Rouen.

There is a very good chance he was abandoned by someone who was tired of taking care of him and thought that all he needed was water to live. He probably won't live long out there.

 

[Purra]

You could always catch him and see if somebody nearby wants him. It's really a beautiful duck, it'd be a shame to let it starve when it doesn't have to.

 

[Kevin565]

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

 

[DuckLover3]

You could always catch him and see if somebody nearby wants him. It's really a beautiful duck, it'd be a shame to let it starve when it doesn't have to.

I think that's a good idea....You could always put up a notice or something in a public place near you that you found her, and see what happens. Are you feeding your other two duckling food? If so, I don't think it would be a good idea to feed her what you're feeding them.....Is there any way you could buy a small bag of adult duck food?

 

[Makenzie]

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.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Muscovy X Khaki campbell...? Looks like a muscovy cross though. Tail is to long to be mallard diverted.