how hard is it REALLY to take care of ducks???

[DuckLover9138]

Quote:
No, you CAN'T! First of all, it is illegal. Second of all, the domestic mallard is not as "savy" in the wild as a truely wild mallard. You would just be feeding the local predators.

Not to stir up the pot again, but here is an expert opinion under this paragraph. Personal experience. My mallards flew away and they are pretty wild now. If I am lucky, I see them for about 2 minutes as they eat the food that I leave outside every morning before I leave home. They fly in and fly out. I don't see how REALISTICALLY a game warden could fine you unless they film you releasing all your birds. The only predator my ducks ever suffered was nasty children. Mallards are stronger than other birds. Mine learned how to looked for earthworm on its own and never came back after they found a pond. Eventually, they even stopped coming home at night. Hardly domestic to me. In fact, I feel a bit betrayed that the only time they come (if I see them) is to eat the food for about a minute. Its a half-hearted effort because they are half full anyways. I see them eating the algae and plants in the water.

Here is an export opinion on releasing mallard:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Wildlife-2507/Raising-6-wild-Mallard.htm


Although its discouraged, it is better than eating them and giving them to overworked rescuers. I doubt they keep the ducks in good condition if their advertisements is any clue. If you go Sunday morning early in bodies, I don't think it will be a problem. You can always say you found hungry ducks on your property or releasing it back into the lake? They can never prove its your ducks unless they subpoena for your bank. That takes a lot of money time and a court order. Chances are very good that no one will hold you for that. Don't do anything that doesn't make sense (keeping them forever when you can't or eating them) because someone was screaming fire in a movie theater.

 

[missred871]

Quote:
No, you CAN'T! First of all, it is illegal. Second of all, the domestic mallard is not as "savy" in the wild as a truely wild mallard. You would just be feeding the local predators.

Not to stir up the pot again, but here is an expert opinion under this paragraph. Personal experience. My mallards flew away and they are pretty wild now. If I am lucky, I see them for about 2 minutes as they eat the food that I leave outside every morning before I leave home. They fly in and fly out. I don't see how REALISTICALLY a game warden could fine you unless they film you releasing all your birds. The only predator my ducks ever suffered was nasty children. Mallards are stronger than other birds. Mine learned how to looked for earthworm on its own and never came back after they found a pond. Eventually, they even stopped coming home at night. Hardly domestic to me. In fact, I feel a bit betrayed that the only time they come (if I see them) is to eat the food for about a minute. Its a half-hearted effort because they are half full anyways. I see them eating the algae and plants in the water.

Here is an export opinion on releasing mallard:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Wildlife-2507/Raising-6-wild-Mallard.htm


Although its discouraged, it is better than eating them and giving them to overworked rescuers. I doubt they keep the ducks in good condition if their advertisements is any clue. If you go Sunday morning early in bodies, I don't think it will be a problem. You can always say you found hungry ducks on your property or releasing it back into the lake? They can never prove its your ducks unless they subpoena for your bank. That takes a lot of money time and a court order. Chances are very good that no one will hold you for that. Don't do anything that doesn't make sense (keeping them forever when you can't or eating them) because someone was screaming fire in a movie theater.

It isn't discouraged. It is ILLEGAL. Mallards that are bought from hatcheries or from breeders are NOT wild mallards. Yes they can and will fly away given the chance however it is your job as a duck owner to either keep them in an enclosed aviary or clip their wings. Just because you think it is stupid to eat a mallard doesnt mean that it is. Why do you think people hunt ducks? Because they plan to eat them. As has been said before, be careful what you say on a public forum. Allowing a flying duck to fly off is neglegent and you can be held reponsible if the government wants to hold you to it. There is a seriously strict law on migratory birds. There are several people on this forum who know the rules because they keep birds that make them have to know the laws. If you want to get rid of a domesticated duck there are places besides "overworked rescues" that they can go, in fact putting them up on craigslist as free will get rid of them in a hurry. So please do not encourage people to break the law just because you think it is wrong to eat a duck or give it to someone else who can feed and care for it properly. I am not trying to be rude so I apologize if it comes out that way but telling someone that it is okay to release ducks as long as you dont get caught is like telling someone it is okay to drink and drive as long as you dont kill someone.

 

[DuckLover9138]

Comparing it to drunk and driving to stating an obvious statement on how ducks are released is completely non sequitur and ridiculous. I have more than one friends who is studying in law school right now and they told me in a nice way the comparison does not make any sense. During my last semester in college before starting my history internship, one of our advisers was a graduate from Harvard law school who practiced in civil law Boston, became the legal adviser to the governor in his home state, before retiring and help running a politics institute at our school. He told us during his cases. Even when people settle things out of court, they need hard concrete positions and a legitimate paper trail. A legitimate paper trail is not writing on a public forum. In addition, what people write which is their opinion is 100% protected under the 1st amendment. This is not even college politics class/law school knowledge, its basic civics that you learn in high school.

I did not say go and break the law. I am merely pointing out to the people who do not know that (a large number on this board) that mallards are released this way is VERY common. If you go on Youtube, you will see tons of videos where people release pet mallards in the wild. Here is one and there are many others:

This is an undisputed fact that many are released this way and can't be changed regardless how you feel.

"Allowing a flying duck to fly off is neglegent and you can be held reponsible if the government wants to hold you to it."

It is neither negligence nor being lack of responsible. If a mallard flies off, you are can't be charged with negligence. If it wants to fly off or swim away, you can't stop it and some people feel its unethical to damage them to keep them on their property. Despite what the animal welfare law states, some might consider it animal abuse to deliberately damage its wings especially if it poorly done. I actually read my state's law codes and it clearly states in the animal rights section negligence is when you willfully abandon a pet (hinting a domestic cat or a domestic dog). I actually looked up at the paper trail for my state and found no one has been charged with cases with people when they allow mallards to fly off. Try look at cases of drunken driving at your state. I also couldn't find cases where people were charged with leaving mallards untended at local reservoirs of water.

Regardless how you feel, I am pointing out the obvious on a public forum. I am not telling people to throw their ducks (wild duck) at will. What I am doing have so many precedence that there is nothing new in it. I am stating the obvious that it has been done by many people and the process that takes place. I have taken enough college related history-law classes to know when writing words is not the same as throwing stones when concerning issues like ducks. To be blunt, releasing ducks might be illegal de facto, but expressing opinion about it is not in any form. Mallards flying away or swimming away is not negligence. You have no paper trail of cases where you are talking about has presence except in releasing ducks is illegal, but not enforced law and its a clear fact that many rescue centers are overwhelmed. Look at their adoption boards. What do you think happens when they are sort on resources and too many animals. The people working there aren't going to be getting the short end of that stick.

 

[wanaBfarmer]

Ducks are not all that hard to raise. I got a pair two summers ago now and they have been great. We lost one to a preditor of some kind, but got another one so the orignal wouldn't get lonely. You could definitly tell he was depressed without his friend around, but now that there are two again they are happy as can be.

We have a run attached to their house where they stay when we are going to be gone for more than a day and they are locked in there at night every night. Otherwise I let them out every morning and feed them then they just free range around our yard all day. We have a small pond in our flower garden for them to swim in. The first summer was the only time I had any issues with them eating our flowers.

I would say as long as you have a secure place for them at night and keep water and food available they would be just fine. I would also suggest gettting more than one just because they are social. Also a small kiddie pool for them during warm weather would be great and easy for you to clean.

I don't know where you live, but we live in Michigan and our ducks did not even mind the cold and snow. I just added some cracked corn to their normal food for a little extra energy.I also covered their run with a tarp to keep out the snow and surrounded their house with straw bales and they were just as happy as could be . I often went out to find them "swimming" on top of thesnow which is pretty funny.

As far as letting them go, maybe its just me, but I wouldn't only because I got really attached to them and couldn't stand the thought of them fending for themselve out in the wild. Plus from what I am gathering from other responses it is illegal.

So now that I am done rambling about my ducks I say have fun. It sounds like you are quite capable of rasing a couple ducks on your own. Heck if I can do it anyone can

 

[FireTigeris]

Well its another case of, "even if its wrong lots of other people do it so its ok..."

Mallard releases are illegal because they compete for wild mates and degrade to wild genetics...

the proper thing to do if you cant keep an animal its whole life is to NOT get that animal.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I am not reading all the posts cause that would take forever. I raised what I thought were domestic ducks in my backyard once, only to find out that I had gotten an order meant for a park or something. I had a nice crew of wild ducks that would fly in circles all over the neighborhood. The neighbors were not understanding at all and I don't blame them. I made arrangements with a privately owned park that would take my guys in. I was very lucky and had 3 pairs. So its possible to go into it responsibly, find yourself in over your head and then find a responsible solution that is best for the ducks. Just make sure you have a backup plan.

 

[FireTigeris]

This is a set of creatures that live an average of 10 years...

 

[missred871]

Quote:
Well excuse me but I am not in a court of law pleading a frickin case. I dont appreciate your holyer than thou tone and I wont say what I truly want to. I am just going to repeat what tigeris said,
"Well its another case of, "even if its wrong lots of other people do it so its ok..."

Mallard releases are illegal because they compete for wild mates and degrade to wild genetics...

the proper thing to do if you cant keep an animal its whole life is to NOT get that animal."

I dont know why you even posted about it anyway, considering if you had read all the posts in the first place you would know that the OP said she didn't plan on releasing them nor would she ever.

ETA: Oh and by the way if your friend were as smart as you make them out to be, then they would know that the comparison I made, made perfect sense. As both are law breaking acts even if your friend doesnt agree to that.

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
Well excuse me but I am not in a court of law pleading a frickin case. I dont appreciate your holyer than thou tone and I wont say what I truly want to. I am just going to repeat what tigeris said,
"Well its another case of, "even if its wrong lots of other people do it so its ok..."

Mallard releases are illegal because they compete for wild mates and degrade to wild genetics...

the proper thing to do if you cant keep an animal its whole life is to NOT get that animal."

I dont know why you even posted about it anyway, considering if you had read all the posts in the first place you would know that the OP said she didn't plan on releasing them nor would she ever.

ETA: Oh and by the way if your friend were as smart as you make them out to be, then they would know that the comparison I made, made perfect sense. As both are law breaking acts even if your friend doesnt agree to that.

You took the words out of my mouth missred!
You saved me from typeing a page full.

Ducklover9138 - What does college have to do with ducks?

 

[Wifezilla]

the proper thing to do if you cant keep an animal its whole life is to NOT get that animal.

Pets are not disposable. Even if they are used for livestock, it's your responsibility to take care of the animal and see it is humanely dispatched. Turning them lose is as bad as people who lets their dogs run lose through the neighborhood and then act all surprised and hurt when it gets hit by a car. Ummm...what did you think was going to happen?

What does college have to do with ducks?

She was trying to make sure she would have enough time to devote to their care.