Mandarin Duck advice

[Duckchick2011]

Thank you,

I have some new things to consider.

I never expected the Mandarins to "like" being picked up, I was just a little concerned about having a bird that would forever view me as the boogey man no matter how much time I put into it. My quail are like this and it can get a little depressing some times, and is also a head ache when doing routine maintance like nail trimming and such.

I've done eggs on serverall occasions and have had both exilerating success and heart breaking failure, I know the risks I just really get a kick out of the whole incubation experience

, I have a neighbor whose willing to let me borrow his broody hen, and I was planning on letting her do the whole thing till that last three days.

It is very releaving to hear that they will warm up to you, that was really the only thing I was very concerned about, I can deal with having a bird that takes patients just not one that will always be mortally afraid of me when I enter the pen.

Being me,I would really rather leave the birds full winged but I have neighbors who might not enjoy the spectacle of a full blown aviary(I on the other hand love the idea, but ticking off neighbors is never a good idea)

Again thanks for all the advice,

I'm not sure when I will be going through with every thing, this is all still in the planning stages, I just wanted to make sure this was what I really wanted to do and I wasn't leaving any ends untied.

Any thing else you might think would be useful to know now would help...(I'm still kinda nervous...EXCITED but nervous

)

 

[toejam]

You could maybe ask your neighbors if they would or wouldnt like the aiviary. It couldnt hurt.

Dont rush yourself, just plan everything out and get them when you are ready.

I dont know if you already know this but make sure to have some natural cover in the pen. brush piles work well.


Justin

 

[ottodog]

Dang I just bought 4 eggs, wish I had read this first. Since I don't currently have a broody, and will have to incubate the whole time, do you incubate just like other duck eggs? Should I mist them the 1st week?

Not trying to hijack just seemed like a good thread to ask ?'s about mandarins.

Thanks, Chris

 

[KansasKid]

Quote:
Mist from day one.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I would not pinion them, watching them float through the air and hover over the pond is a great site to behold. The avairy doesn't need to be really tall that it would mess with the landscape. They don't like to be messed with like the others said but I can tell you, if you spend a lot of time with them, they do get use to you. My female Mandarin now gets so excited when I bring night crawlers to them that she now will fly up and take it from my hand.

Quote:
I don't mist my duck eggs until day four, then I mist everyday until day 24. The way I look at it, we are trying to copy mother nature. Ducks go for a swim and then comes back all wet and sets on her eggs. It gives a rise to the humidty for awhile. I also only hand turn duck eggs.

 

[charlindabob]

I have raised Mandarins for several years and this is my opinion (for what it's worth).

1. Mandarins are the prettiest of all ducks hands down.
2. You will never be able to pet them like you would a Pekin for instance.
3. I would pinion, and although I have a 25'x50' netted aviary, they fly like crazy when you walk in, a car horn blows, dogs bark, etc. They can break their neck by flying up into the netting or into the side of the avairy. I don't like pinioning them, but it is safer and if done the first day, they recover (or appear to) in a couple of minutes.
4. They will fly away and never come back if you turn them loose out of a cage or enclosure. They can out run you with no problem.
5. You need nest boxes for them to lay in.
6. Shipping eggs are rare to hatch, believe me, I've been on both ends of the deal. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a broody chicken or duck do your hatching for you.
7. They breed in water, so clean fresh water big enough for them to swim a little is important. I used plastic mortar tubs from Lowe's for about $10 each or less.
8. They only lay eggs for a couple of months out of the year.
9. After careful consideration, I sold all of mine (over 25 breeding pairs of colored and white) and bought K/C ducks, at least I can eat the eggs!.
10. Yes, I miss them, but I couldn't interact and as they got older, they seem to get more wild.
Like I said, this is my opinion, others will have one too.

 

[mckenzie]

If you pinion can they fly at all? Can they get off the ground? I am wanting to build a bigger pen for my wood ducks. I want it to only be 4 ft tall and i was wondering if they could get out.

 

[KansasKid]

If they are already full grown i wouldn't try and pinion them.
If they are already pinioned then no, they might be able to hop off the ground a little bit but can't fly, pinioning is the removal of end of one wing (bones and all) that has the primary feathers on it.

 

[mckenzie]

thank you

 

[plecostrum]

I was told to keep them enclosed as even pinioned ducks can climb very well and clear a 6ft fence or wire.

Is this true? Before I let them out