Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[bemba]

Loving everyone's birds!! Especially the whites!! Here are some of my guys

 

[ksp1]

Looking for mandarins either pairs, white drakes, normal hens. Thanks pm me with info

 

[benjhm11]

I am thinking about getting some mandarins but I've heard that they are harder to raise..is that true? And how much room per mandarin do they need to live happily?

 

[Daniel-Sorensen]

 

[3BirdGirlz]

I am thinking about getting some mandarins but I've heard that they are harder to raise..is that true? And how much room per mandarin do they need to live happily?

I've been told they're not hard to raise and that they're good for beginners. Actually most things Ive read says that. I've raised ducks, but never the mandarins and I just got my first pair this year. They are flighty compared to domestics, but I've found them easy to take care of. I love mine! I give fresh water daily. My pen is larger than what I'm sure you need for a pair, but I'll also keep my peacocks in it...it is 16x30 and 8 ft tall plus a 8x10 shed. Hopefully someone that raises them can give you a better measurement of pen requirements. Good luck and hope you get some!

 

[Ash1089]

For those looking to buy mandarins, check craigslist. As silly as it sounds, I just bought another hen (mine had died) from a man that lived about 20 minutes away. The neatest thing was, he had all of the papers on them. I know that isn't a priority to everyone, but i know for a fact that all of my pairs are guaranteed unrelated. So, I just wanted to let everyone know that maybe craigslist is an option. It never crossed my mind when I was searching, but thank goodness I stumbled upon it. The man was even nice enough to throw in a nesting box for free, just because I was so interested in the bloodlines!

Thank goodness for kind people

 

[3BirdGirlz]

What do papers on Mandarins look like....like a pedigree? I know mine are unrelated as they came from two different breeders, and I'll keep records, but do others keep more than that?

 

[The Farm]

What should the diminutions for a nesting box? And are any of your mandarins laying yet?

 

[3BirdGirlz]

What should the diminutions for a nesting box? And are any of your mandarins laying yet?

My nest boxes are 12x12 and 12x10....well they end up smaller because how wood is really measured (which confuses the heck outta me why anyone ever started that!) but that is the size of cedar I used. Then they are about 20-24 inches high. There are some really good free instructions if you google wood duck nest box....look at the images section and it'll give you pictures and you can click on the website. That's how I made mine!
And mine aren't laying yet, but I live north and winter is seeming never ending this year.

 

[The Farm]

Okay thanks for the info.