Mallard Question (New Picture)

[tia]

She shook when I took the picture - I picked this picture because the white was showing. I got her on July 8th and figured she was about a week old then. I think her bill might be lightening up, so that makes sense.

 

[cracking up]

They really are quite a bit smaller than the runners. Just really sweet little ducks.

 

[ranchhand]

This thread might help. And yes, I ended up with 4 females!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=374130

 

[tia]

Thanks ranchhand - she looks just like yours. It is funny because she was found wandering around inside the local airport when she was about a week old. I can't find anyone in town who has tame mallards. I was told she wasn't wild, because her wings are too small. We live in a small town - so I think I know everyone who has ducks. Her arrival may always be a mystery. She certainly is a little gift though - she is so sweet.

 

[Tia Z.]

Awwww...this thread makes me miss my Francis. He hatched in March and fully feathered in as a female until about July when I saw tiny little green freckles on his face. It took about a month to feather in as a male and his drake feather came last of all the changes. He quacked a lot, never shut up, but it was a little raspy even when he looked like a female so that was my best clue. Once he/she stops chirping and starts quacking you'll be able to tell. He up and flew away a few weeks ago, I think because he didn't have a mate and that instinct is pretty strong. Here are some pics of his progress:

June:

July:

August:

 

[desertdarlene]

So far, it looks pretty likely that you have a female to me. She looks a little different than the wild mallards at the same age. At our lake, we have several around the same age as yours and they all have down-less heads and bodies, but their wings and tails only have the short feathers like yours do.

 

[tia]

Tia Z - Frances is very pretty - I can see why you miss him. Thank you for the pictures - they are wonderful. Was Frances a tame or wild Mallard?

desertdarlene - The people at the bird rescue in Anchorage told me that this one will never fly because its wings are too small. Do most tame mallards fly? Where do you live? I wonder if they hatch later here in Alaska.

 

[desertdarlene]

Quote:
I wouldn't give up on her being able to fly, yet, she may just be a little behind in her growth. If after a few more weeks if she's still don't have all her flight feathers, then I would say that she has stopped growing and may not be able to fly.

As far as I know, most tame mallards can and will fly unless you clip their wings. However, they may choose to stay close to home because that's where the warmth and food is as well as people who love her.

I live in San Diego and they tend to hatch anywhere from early April to about September and beyond because the weather was mild. However, most of the ducklings were hatched in May and June and began to taper off after that.

 

[sgt_dane]

My mallard has a different type of head and neck feathers.. they almost look temporary.. ill get some pics posted as soon as i get my camera from my office tomorrow. One of my drakes hatched out and as soon as he got down feathers he had a white ring, but it went away when he got his feathers. He has always looked like a boy to me though.. He started a raspy quack, its when they try to quack really loud that you can definitely tell, like when i would catch him and hed quack for the girls. My other drake has what looks like temporary feathers on his neck, he has a prominent line from one type of feather to the next around the base of his neck. its weird and hard to explain, again ill post pictures. It is hard to tell if its a boy or a girl.. The beak will start turning blue shortly after its fully feathered, that says male..
Good luck! What are you hoping it is?

 

[tia]

I was hoping it was a male - just because I'm afraid my runner drake will pick on it if is a female because it is smaller. I was thinking that if it was a drake it would get along better in my existing flock of 6 runners. I have I drake and 5 female runners. I may just have to get another one - just so it has some company its own size. Whatever it is - it is very sweet.