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My ducklings just tried to abandon me!

Discussion in 'Ducks' started by raindrop, Jun 5, 2008.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Jun 5, 2008 #1
    raindrop

    raindrop Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Feb 10, 2008
    Western Oregon
    I went out to get my Pilgrim pair and the ducklings from the pond and the ducklings wouldn't follow. So I look a little closer and they are hanging out with a pair of Mallards. I try to call them and shake their food (I only feed 2x a day so usually they are running after me) and they swim over near me, then the Mallard drake swims after them and they follow him away!
    DH and 2 of the border collies come out to chase away the Mallards, I get the geese to go back in the water to remind the ducklings where they live and then they come out of the water all as a group. Even then, DH had to herd them back to the pen!
    Could they fly away with the Mallards at this age (8 1/2 weeks)? I think I will just feed once a day in the pm from now on. They seem to find a lot to eat in the pond, and they eat the seed heads off the grass so maybe they aren't hungry.
    Silly, ungrateful ducklings!
     
  3. Jun 6, 2008 #2
    DuckLady

    DuckLady Administrator Staff Member

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    Jan 11, 2007
    Washington State
    What kind of ducks are they? Unless they are domestic mallards, they won't go far. Those wild drakes are bossy casanova bad boys, aren't they?

    But remember, the mallard can get away from a predator, domestics have a harder time.
     
  5. Jun 6, 2008 #3
    raindrop

    raindrop Chillin' With My Peeps

    712
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    Feb 10, 2008
    Western Oregon
    Dutch Hookbills.
    They were fine tonight. The mallards weren't there, and my little guys followed me right into their safe nighttime pen.
     
  7. Jun 7, 2008 #4
    greyfields

    greyfields Overrun With Chickens

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    Mar 15, 2007
    Washington State
    They will not stray far from the food source, don't worry. :0

    I found a mallard pair down in my slough yesterday with about 15 ducklings swimming around behind them. They don't look to be more than a week old. one thing I noticed was that they were entirely silent, not like the noisey domestic ones. Also, both parents faked injuries (splashed around in the water with limp wings) to try an distract me.
     

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