Muscovies to Be Gased In Ocala.

[ChickieBooBoo]

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It wouldn't hurt the mother, but it would kill the ducklings in the egg, since the time she's on the nest, she's not laying more eggs for more ducklings.

Yeah, it wouldn't lower HER fertility, it just keeps the eggs from hatching. The female isn't affected.

 

[saddina]

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It wouldn't hurt the mother, but it would kill the ducklings in the egg, since the time she's on the nest, she's not laying more eggs for more ducklings.

Yeah, it wouldn't lower HER fertility, it just keeps the eggs from hatching. The female isn't affected.

This is similar to whan the post office botches shipping eggs, they can look perfect and intact, but when you try to incubate them, they never develop.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

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Yeah, it wouldn't lower HER fertility, it just keeps the eggs from hatching. The female isn't affected.

This is similar to whan the post office botches shipping eggs, they can look perfect and intact, but when you try to incubate them, they never develop.

Yes, which I wouldn't exactly say is cruel... especially if the species is overpopulated. Like the ducks in Florida and the Canada Geese up here.

 

[saddina]

I hate to be the voice of doubt, but they ARE an invaise species in that location. The native fauna are being out fed and out bred by them. These aren't "wild" as much as a domestic bird who have been released (illegial as heck), and have displaced the native ducks in the ecosystem. Everytime someone has "lost" a domestic animal, there's a chance that you've upset the natrual balance. This is a problem that is man-made, just as feral hogs were a man-created problem. Yes ducklings are cute, and 400lb hogs are not, but you can not choose to let an invasive species continue off of "cute" factor. Yes in therory, you can go and "save" a few of them from a pond, and so long as you agree to keep them under your direct control, that's just fine. Now I happen to like muscovies, but they should be kept under controlled enviroments, not released to breed nonstop in a park. The city has determined that 110 birds will die, so they will exterminate 110 ducks. Do you think that they'll just shrug and go away? or do you think that they'll keep looking till they get thier 110. Save the few you can if you'd like, but realize that you're responsiable not just for that bird, but for all of the offspring it may have.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

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110 ducks can create A LOT of offspring in just one spring, they can go from 110 to 1000 in a short period of time.

 

[Fawkes]

But they killed 200 some in 2009. Just two years ago. Are they going to kill 100+ ducks every 2 years? Costing tax payers $8,500 every two years? It isn't effective, its cruel, and expensive, so I don't see the point. They should be thinking of other solutions, like the ones I posted.

 

[desertdarlene]

I agree, they're an invasive species that has an effect on the ecosystem. So, people should be able to catch them and take them to farms, etc. I don't know why the government has to make it so hard for people to do so.

 

[mandelyn]

If they adopt the ducks out, they run the risk of them making it back out again into the wild through irresponsible ownership, what caused the problem in the first place. It's not like you can spay them before adopting them out. Really they ought to have them processed and donate the meat instead of a wasteful gassing that's expensive.

Either way, it's to protect an ecosystem from an invasive species, no matter how cute they are and how fond we are of our own pets of the same type. They do the same with the invasive snakes, but they're not cute and they'll eat dogs, cats, small children, as well as steal meals from natural species... but invasive is invasive regardless of the species, and Florida has invasive species up to their eyeballs. All because some residents don't understand proper care or responsibility over their pets. Add in nice weather year round... and those animals can breed successfully and increase the population, since there are also limited predators.

Don't feed the gators and don't release your pets, or attempt to keep pets in a manner that allows them to escape.

Another issue with the 'scovie ducks is that when they breed with Mallard derived ducks they create mule babies. So that is further hurting the wild native ducks, because now the offspring cannot reproduce in addition to being crossbred. Lose lose for the ducks all the way around and it's sad.

 

[jbowyer01]

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not if I pick them up first

I think I'm only about three hours from Ocala. I could meet someone and take in a couple. I'd be totally new to ducks so this would be an adventure LOL. Can you clip their wings (like you can do do other birds) to prevent them from flying away?

If they do have to die its a shame to kill them and waste the meat. I'll use them for eggs. Nice fluffy cakes and muffins! Plus they would have a forever home.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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I think I'm only about three hours from Ocala. I could meet someone and take in a couple. I'd be totally new to ducks so this would be an adventure LOL. Can you clip their wings (like you can do do other birds) to prevent them from flying away?

If they do have to die its a shame to kill them and waste the meat. I'll use them for eggs. Nice fluffy cakes and muffins! Plus they would have a forever home.

Yes you can clip their wings I clip mines, and the eggs are great for baking, and alot of people eat them too.