I want my Mallards to fly south this fall, will they?

[Duck mommy 2019]

Stop scolding, for one thing, and 2, they are Mallards, and their instincts are Mallard. They will do what they want to do.

they shouldn’t release their pets...

 

[kaumlauf]

they shouldn’t release their pets...

They aren't pets. They live here, but they aren't "tame".

 

[kaumlauf]

Well, they have all their toes.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Well, they have all their toes.

If they have all their toes then they're illegal to keep.
One of their fourth toes should be gone if bred domestic.
If you bought them, they were being sold as illegal pets if all toes are still there.

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

They aren't pets. They live here, but they aren't "tame".

why would you get ducks without any intent to keep them?

 

[416bigbore]

With the correct PERMIT you are within the Law to keep wild waterfowl.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2019-title50-vol9/xml/CFR-2019-title50-vol9-part21.xml

 

[BuckeyeAmy69]

I raised mallards one year, a few years ago. They were not tame at all which was fine with me. When autumn came they did what nature told them to do and started flying in large circles around my property. After a few weeks of practice runs, they flew off and didn’t return. After that I would always wonder if the hens ever returned to nest here. I get wild ducks here every spring because of my large farm pond. I’ll never know I guess!

 

[kaumlauf]

I raised mallards one year, a few years ago. They were not tame at all which was fine with me. When autumn came they did what nature told them to do and started flying in large circles around my property. After a few weeks of practice runs, they flew off and didn’t return. After that I would always wonder if the hens ever returned to nest here. I get wild ducks here every spring because of my large farm pond. I’ll never know I guess!

If they have all their toes then they're illegal to keep.
One of their fourth toes should be gone if bred domestic.
If you bought them, they were being sold as illegal pets if all toes are still there.

Why on earth would anyone cut off a duck's toe? Sounds completely cruel and stupid to me. It puts the duck at a disadvantage. They dig and defend themselves with their feet.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Why on earth would anyone cut off a duck's toe? Sounds completely cruel and stupid to me. It puts the duck at a disadvantage. They dig and defend themselves with their feet.

Fourth toe, the one behind the main three. It doesn't interfere with walking, or foraging.

 

[416bigbore]

I found this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/marking-my-wood-ducks-help.166280/