Did God Give Me a Duck? (Domesticated Mallard)

[Flysflowerpatch]

Yesterday morning we woke up to a female Mallard in our suburban yard. She has been sitting next to the chicken run as if she'd like to join them, and she hopped right into a plastic pool of water I filled for her. She acts domesticated, and is also missing a first metatarsal on one of her feet. It's my understanding (I don't have ducks so this is all just Google searches yesterday) that she may have been domestically bred and raised, especially with the toe missing as domestic mallards are required to have a toe clipped at hatch.

She flies but hasn't tried to leave my property. My question is, is it worth it to try to integrate her, or will she want to migrate? I was thinking of getting her a duck friend but if she's not going to stick around, I'd rather not.

 

[kaumlauf]

It might have an "owner". She may be practicing her flying, and wandered over your place and saw the chickens below, and decided to stop., and possibly other things looked familiar to her. I had TS Mallards that would fly away for awhile and come back when they felt like it. Love her "loosely". She may fly away again, only to retuen when she feels like it. She may bring others from her flock with her next time, if there is a next time. She definately has had significant human contact in her past.

 

[FrostRanger]

You can ask around as well if anyone is missing a mallard

 

[Flysflowerpatch]

You can ask around as well if anyone is missing a mallard

We posted in next door, so far we are only getting laughing emojis

 

[kaumlauf]

Dont be surprised if you get no response. Ducks can fly from home for miles, before they decide to return to their nesting spot of family flock.