Odd duck showed up, UPDATE pics of a buddy!

[maizey]

Oh, and would she enjoy sunflower seeds mixed with corn scratch...I have TONS of that

 

[maizey]

AH HA! She has a buddy! I just spotted her with what I believe is a white mallard (mostly white body, dark brown breast, white ring around the neck and lighter brown head? Will try to get a pic). Also spotted two additional darker ducks that gave the impression of wild ducks. So I feel a little better now, at least she has a friend, though still odd how they just show up like this. I hope they do well. I will be looking out for them at any rate.

 

[maizey]

here is a pic of her buddy...did i identify it correctly?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think thats a mallard but they are very pretty, I hope they make it. It's a tuff world out there. I have Muscovies and they love corn sunflower seeds and they all eat Purina Flock raiser. We live above a mt. river and I don't let my ducks go to the river, they would be food for all kinds of predators. They free range and could go if they wanted but are very content right here where there is food, shelter and safety.

 

[desertdarlene]

We have one or two at our lake that looks like her buddy. I forgot the breed, though. I think he was more khaki colored, though.

At the lake I go to, the domestic ducks all hang out together and don't mingle with many of the wild ones. They do accept a few mallards into their group from time to time. One of the female pekins had a mallard boyfriend, once.

 

[thekid]

if i were you i would take them if they BOTH let you get them it would be better you get them before a predator

 

[pringle]

Pretty sure that's a hatchery quality fawn runner.

 

[Jmiller429]

it wil be fine. Ducks will forage on aquatic vegetation, algae, and whatever else it can find. You feeding it will only make it worse as it can be conditioned to expect food and not forage properly.

 

[nettie]

Quote:
This is not true.... Domesticated ducks are not as good at finding food or shelter as wild ducks because all their wild instincts have been bred out of them over many thousands of years. They are about as hopeless as a domestic house dog who gets out/runs away. If they are not located, they usually end up getting hit by cars, or they starve because human bred their hunting abilities out of them.

I would leave some food out for them. If you can somehow float food, like greens out on the water, that will help ensure they get calories. Post a sign, ask around, see if they belong to anybody. If not, use the peas to lure them to the shore so you can catch them. they are beautiful and there are many many people here just on BYC who'd happily take those little lovelys and give them a good home.

the mallard-y looking one looks like a cross to me (I've seen a lot of ducks). He appears to have the bleu-gelb gene which makes him more "apricot colored" than the normal standard mallard. He does look to have some runner in him too. I'm glad she has a friend, but they are both at risk.

Some ducks make great foragers, especially ones who live with responsible owners who lock them up at night and show them where to eat. Most free ranging foraging ducks still have duck pellets available to them in case they didn't forage enough.

Considering she and her friend just showed up one day tells me, either someone bought some adults and need to be educated about locking them up at night so they don't get snatched by a predator, or they were dumped. Since your in the south, they could be this year's hatch, (hatched in Jan, they'd be fully grown by now). I was able to buy ducklings in the heart of alabama in Jan. This also tells me they didn't grow up foraging and they are now doing it for the first time.

Please get these ducks some help!

 

[thekid]

like i said TAKE BOTH WITH YOU!!