MALLARD THREAD...not rouens, Mallards!

[melissamerry]

When do your mallards molt? two of my girls just did, but the drake still hasn't.

 

[fowlman01]

When do your mallards molt? two of my girls just did, but the drake still hasn't.

Mine are just starting to molt..the weather has something to do with it too.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

Walt, a may have an anomaly then... My mallard, Bella, started laying eggs last fall. She had laid an egg every day since then except one - she outlays every one of my chickens. She lays beautiful, great big eggs, and even lays them in one of my chicken's nests, so they stay nice and clean.

Well that is remarkable. I have raised a lot of these through the years and never have I seen that. Do your Mallards fly? The birds here can go almost straight up when they launch. The point being that the wild type don't lay like that. Mallards will mate with anything, so a lot of the Mallards in the wild are hybrids and that would affect laying.

Walt

 

[tull14]

Those are my 12 mallards and my 2 big Pekins they are only 1 week apart though

 

[zbraswell92]

This is Mallie on my shoulder. She's really funny. She's a mallard hen about 3 months old.

 

[GarDenFarmGirl]

Bella and Beau were eggs from my neighbor's farm that were hatched my broody bantam cochin hen. The two of them and my first duck were raised by and always around the chickens and sometimes I don't think they realize they are ducks.

I thought my poor hen was going to have a heart attack when Bella and Beau first decided they were going to swim in the water dish. And she was frustrated that no matter how hard she tried, they just wouldn't dust bathe! I have never seen her really take off flying, just a few feet off of the ground. Although she has the appearance of pure mallard, I think she may be a mix, but I don't know that for sure. She sure is a wonderful layer though!!!!!

 

[Tanichca]

I've had my duckies for two months now! Mrs. Duck is spending a lot of time in her nest bin. Could this mean she's preparing to lay?
Mr. Duck is trying to mate with my silkies. Poor things, they are thankfully able to run away!

 

[melissamerry]

I've had my duckies for two months now! Mrs. Duck is spending a lot of time in her nest bin. Could this mean she's preparing to lay?

Mr. Duck is trying to mate with my silkies. Poor things, they are thankfully able to run away!

Too cute! Mine are do the same thing. The girls are sitting in their holes, but not laying any eggs. I'm hoping though.
Here's a video of my mallards chasing the wild ones around. When ever the wild ducks fly ahead mine go nuts and make a lot of noise, usually bringing them down to play.
They pretty much chase each other all over and then rest next to each other. It's cute. The first ducks in the video are the wild ones, mine come running in after them

 

[Mommysongbird]

Here are our mallards.

This is Mochi and the Cheeps. Mochi either thinks she is a bantam now, or the Cheeps think they are Mallards now. Haha

These mallard babies are for my grand kids, there are 5 of them, well 1 will be staying with us because it has something going on with its wing (see last pic).

Here are the grand kids mallards ready to go to their new home at my parents house. Just waiting for their duck pen to be finished.

Here (in front) is the little mallard that will be staying with us a little longer (if Mochi accepts her). She has a drooping wing. She is always picked on by the other ducks and I was told that it is because she has a tuft of feathers on her head??? Her name is Pom.

 

[lacasapollo2013]

how old was your mallard hen when she laid...we have 3 i think 1 is a drake and the other to are hens...when do they fully feather?? an when do the drakes get their green head an all....thanks so much for any info that you could give me....