Need EXPERIENCED advice on store bought mallards PLZ

[chooniecat]

A guy called wanting to know if I would take 2 mallards he had bought(oh well- we are ALL ignorant of something!!)and I told him I wasn't sure he needed to worry about their boredom with just his bucket of water because I have always been led to believe store bought mallards flew off eventually(sounds horrid to me-WHY do they sell wild ducks??) DOES anyone actually KNOW what is best for the mallards bought at store???? IF he calls me back I don't think I can help him because of my lack of proper housing for MORE ducks(NEW ducks anyhoo-they'd have to be quaranteened)I know some on here state their thoughts on NOT releasing store bought mallards but I want to know the SCIENCE of it.Are they more likely to starve or ?????

 

[ChickenfootDuckbutt]

mallards learn to migrate from the adult ducks in their area, young follow the adults, and learn the route to and from, it;s not instinctively plastered in their brains.

most domestically raised mallards who do fly off, usually don't make it anywhere close to where they want to go because they don't know the area, and usually starve or get killed.


I had a mallard a few years back named "Bandit' who was AFRAID to fly lol, when she was learning she flew into the side of the house, and never flew again

, both of her wings worked properly too.

she would chase my calls and mallard/call crosses across the field on foot, quacking her little head off as they flew above her

either way, it's way past migration time now. so even if they get the urge to up and fly off, I doubt they'd make it more than a day or two.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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A large dog crate put in the garage or storage building until quarateen is up or till they find a good home would work. Please don't let them just up amnd fly off. This is a very good opportunity to teach your friend the importance of researching before buying ducks or any other kind of animals.

 

[chooniecat]

This guy is not a friend-(any FRIENDS of mine get an earfull on domestic animal care too)he got my number from a "duck eggs" ad. And I just wanted to make sure anything I told him IF he calls back was correct. I really don't want more ducks and my hands are full with furry fosters/rescues and just wanted to know IF I took them maybe I could look forward to them flying off in spring(don't worry-everything I have heard/read since this morning says otherwise)and then I could take them. He had another guy on the phone that wanted them as I was talking to him that was interested so hopefully it was someone that knew what they were doing. thanks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Hope so too.

 

[Kevin565]

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NOT ALL mallards will fly away. Mine have never tried to fly very far. It is ILLEGAL to release domestic birds. Many are much more likely to perish. They don't know all the skills the wild mother would have taught them. Hatchery mallards and wild mallards have DIFFERENT body types. They can not fly as easily as their wild counterparts. Also they are more likely to be killed during hunting season if they are used to being near people. If they were raised around other animals they may be less likely to view them as a potential predator.