Happy and sad--saying goodbye

[Eluria]

As some of you know, we acquired a rescue baby Mallard when a neighbor's dog attacked the family as they were strolling in our neighborhood and mama did not return. We were raising her with the intention of releasing her, since we found out were not able to legally keep a mallard that is not from a hatchery. We have been waiting for her to get all her feathers in, however, so that she can swim well and fly to escape if she needs to. Our Metzer babies are coming this week, but will be in the brooder for a bit, so there was no rush to get her out of the coop/yard. Well, yesterday she told us it was time and made the decision herself--something startled her, and she FLEW--not just over the 6 foot fence, but over the trees against the fence as well. She landed in the neighbor's backyard, and my girls and I had a time getting her back (since they weren't home, it involved a little trespassing lol). Unless I clipped her feathers, she was going to continue to go over fences, and the neighbors in question have dogs, so it just wouldn't be safe.

One of my daughters and the neighbor girl who brought her to us originally after the attack accompanied me to the pond. We chose a spot away from the other ducks, and released her. I was worried she might be nervous, but she was so excited to get in the water!



She was a little shy when a few other female ducks came to investigate, but she seemed to like the mud hens.


Here she is when she was brought to us:


We will miss her, but she will get to continue the life she was meant to lead before it was interrupted by the dog.

 

[desertdarlene]

Aww. By the way, he looks like a boy. I hope he knows how to forage and will make it. Any chance you can check in him now and then?

 

[Amykins]

Bless...I also know the bittersweet feeling of releasing a wild baby you fostered. Even now, when the geese come back to spend the summer in my back pond, I still wonder if one of them is my little Chub-Chub. <3

Huge for you, and you're awesome for doing what you did.

 

[Eluria]

She was doing awesome at foraging--that's why we stayed and watched. Even looked like she got a little fish at one point.She did a lot of that in our backyard, too, but the pickings were even better at the pond

I think she is a girl because of her quack. She wasn't much of a talker, but when she was upset it was a very loud QUACK QUACK, not low or raspy at all.

She is local, so we will be able to go check on her. It will probably be difficult to tell her apart from some of the other ones, though, since she is just a regular mallard and I saw several others with the same markings.

 

[Eluria]

Bless...I also know the bittersweet feeling of releasing a wild baby you fostered. Even now, when the geese come back to spend the summer in my back pond, I still wonder if one of them is my little Chub-Chub. <3

Huge for you, and you're awesome for doing what you did.

Definitely bittersweet! I am so glad you understand