If you DO decide to adopt your friend's ducks, here is what I suggest: (*This will only work with a small number of birds!)
Mallards are a wild breed and are naturally scared of humans, especially if they are already 4 months old and have no idea who you are…. This is going to be a LONGITUDINAL transition; not a quick one…
Cage them INSIDE your home for several weeks in an open, large (metal) dog cage. *****While this is NOT going to be a healthy long-term living arrangement for your ducks, in this case, a few weeks will serve a good purpose…*****
Over one end of the open dog crate (or boxed pin or whatever) drape a towel so that one end is secluded and private. Keep the rest of the cage open. Place the cage in a room that you frequent OFTEN. This set up will create an environment that is conducive to both privacy (safety and seclusion), as well as interaction.
For the first week or so, just let them be in their cage without too much intrusion from you, feeding them on a SET SCHEDULE. However, spend as much time as possible sitting ON THEIR LEVEL (ground level) talking to them, all from just OUTSIDE the cage. This will allow the ducks to: 1) become familiar with your voice, 2) associate you with food, 3) begin to see you as a non-predator.
Next, after the 1st week, set a time for every day/ night to spend at least 1 HOUR interacting with the ducks. Set up a VERY small area just outside the door to the cage, blocking the ducks off with furniture, etc., one 3 sides, and with you on the fourth side. Cover the floor with puppy training pads outside of the cage. Sit ON THE GROUND, covering your lap with a towel or something. Open the door to the cage, but do NOT force the ducks out. *When the ducks are ready to leave their cage and investigate you, they will.
ONCE the ducks have begun to investigate you, allow them to do so RESISTING the temptation to touch. This is all about trust and about building relationships. Allow the ducks to peck you, peck the towel, and explore the small area just outside of their cage – keeping the door open so they can retreat if they feel the need to do so. *Repeat this every single day/night for a couple of weeks BEFORE you try to touch.
Follow this same protocol for as long as it takes for your ducks to 1) call for you to be fed, 2) call for you when you leave the room; 3) allow you to stroke their breasts with your finger. It is also a goal for them to feel comfortable venturing into your lap with your hands free of them… This will indicate they trust you… This is BIG!
*I know this sounds a little crazy, but when I was doing this with my mallards, I even slept on the couch in the same room that their cage was in. This allowed for both the ducks and me to get used to one another, while still having the ability to have “ownership” over our own separate spaces…. This is important. They learned I wasn’t there to harass them, but I simply became another duck that just happens to live outside of their cage and didn’t bother them all of the time.
Next, begin taking them outside for brief moments, always staying with them. You can get a round doggie pen that works great. Feed them and sit in the pen with them. At this point, you will become a comfort zone…. A leader… and a permanent fixture in their lives.
ONLY after this has all taken effect can you begin to allow your ducks to free-range.
***If you put the mallards outside at a point at which they still fear you, they will get freaked out and fly away. Then they will be something dinner buffet…
Again…. This is a LONGITUDINAL transition….
When you move them out with other ducks at night, I would introduce them by housing them together, but keeping the mallards in the dog cage. This will keep everyone was getting hurt. Allow this several weeks as well. You can’t rush or force nature….
Don’t be intimidated by the mallards. They are beautiful ducks and are VERY personable. They sometimes need a bit more TLC and “finessing” than others may, but I have found my experiences with them each day to be VERY REWARDING. They are precious, precious creatures from God!
