I got new ducks!

[TinyChickenLady]

Soooooo I'm a chicken owner. Well this morning I went to a swap and bought a pair of Mallards (I'm pretty sure). They are a little skittish and don't want too much attention yet but otherwise they are doing great!
I just have 2 questions....
1. What do they like for treats?
2. I'm told to clip their wings. How do I do that?
Thanks for any help!

 

[veronicasmom]

Will let the other Mallard owners answer some of your questions. I can certainly answer the treat question, PEAS! Specifically, thawed, frozen peas. Get some, take them out and toss them to your ducks. It is better than TV. Might take a few times till they "get it", but when they do, they will be yelling at you for their peas.
I am from Maine too, where are you located?

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Great thanks for the tip

I'm from Mars Hill - waaaaaay North LoL Where are you?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats on your new ducks, here is a link about trimming wings. http://www.cornerstonefarm.net/wingdemo.html

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Congratulations. Mallards are pretty cool. I have 5 of them.

 

[veronicasmom]

I am waaay down in Southern ME. About 45 mins southwest of Portland.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Congrats on your new ducks. I'm a recently relocated Mainer - I live about 20 m. north of Portland & love it. Maine really is "the way life should be". Or, at least the way MY life should be.

I don't have much to add, but when I got my ducks they were 4 weeks and completely petrified of me. I spent MANY hours doing very little with them. Watching them, talking quietly and singing softly. I always announce myself when I go into their yard, so they know I am coming. It took 4 days, but peas won them over. After 4 days with me they would eat out of my hand. Now, they hear me sing their little song and go nuts before I even get out there & DEMAND my company sometimes. Luckily my closest neighbor thinks it is hilarious. He said he never knew ducks were so diligent about sticking to a schedule.

Good luck, and YAY! Ducks are SOOOOOO much fun.

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Thanks alot everyone! For the last 2 days I've been trying to win them over with peas and trying to train them to go inside at night (like pulling teeth LoL) and they are slowly getting used to me but at 6 months old I'd say we have a little ways to go yet

But I'm working on it.

 

[tbitt]

Quote:
Ha! That is the site I use to show people how to clip wings. I love how they use wings with the different colored sedondary flight feathers. It really shows exactly the featers needing cliped!






Ducks are fun, you will like them. Give them time to get used to you...but keep up the good work!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Ha! That is the site I use to show people how to clip wings. I love how they use wings with the different colored sedondary flight feathers. It really shows exactly the featers needing cliped!






Ducks are fun, you will like them. Give them time to get used to you...but keep up the good work!

I probably got it from one of your posts tbitt then put it in my favs.