Planning Ahead - Releasing Mallard Ducklings

[quackiemama]

Has OP tried to contact a licensed Water fowl rehabber? they may take the ducklings and would know the correct time to release then.

 

[megamilez]

Thank you so much for all the replies. A lot of you took time to type out a detailed response, so I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, there are mixed opinions on the topic which makes my decision more difficult.

To reiterate from my previous posts, when I took them, I was initially going to help escort the mom across a busy road (at the time I had no idea there were babies or I would have observed from a distance). It was dark, 2:45 am. I parked my car inside my neighborhood. As I was walking, the group of ducklings b-lined to me. They saw me before I saw them. In fact, they were actually closer to the mom. Had they not chased after me I probably would have let them be. I put them in my trunk and went to look for the mom, and eventually found her about 150 yards away in a church parking lot. Excited, I attempted to reunite them, but she flew off as soon as I opened my car door (I parked at what I thought was far enough away to not spook her). I waited and listened for quacks, but nothing. She really flew off. Then I heard Coyotes chattering. After having an officer stop by, he suggested I keep them overnight, so I did. I called animal control/rescue in our area the following morning and they said they would just euthanize them. So, I've been raising them ever since. I really didn't want ducks, and I wish they hadn't followed me. But I would have felt bad about running away from them since they were seemingly lost (not following mom).

Anyway, right or wrong decision - I'm in a different situation now and want to give these guys every chance I can at a good life. I tried looking up rehabilitation places, but there doesn't seem to be any nearby (I'm in the Dallas, TX area).

I can find a neighborhood lake, or corporate HQ with ducks. Or, there is a friend who lives about an hour north of me who has a pretty big lake with a bunch of ducks. However, she told me she feeds them bread - and disagrees with me when I told her that it's bad for them.

I don't really have the land to give them a good life that I feel they deserve. But, should I give them the option to choose if they want to leave me? (By taking them out to a good location when they can fly and see if they come back when its time to go)

Edit: Also, another option is a friend of mine who owned domesticated ducks. She gave me some starter advice when I first got them and told me that they were going to keep theirs for life until a hawk got one of them - and that they were considering getting another pair. I could possibly ask her if they want them? But that would mean a life in captivity.

WHY DID THE DUCKS HAVE TO FOLLOW ME!!! (They're cute and all but I hate tough decisions that are full of uncertainty.)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you keep them till later in summer when they begin to fly, they may just leave on their own. Then you will have given them time to fully become adults.

 

[jolenesdad]

Part of the sketchy situation with humans getting involved in wildlife situations is raising them takes the fear out. That fear is oh so often necessary for survival.

I do a lot of photography volunteer work and fundraising for the HOUSTON SPCA that is also the wildlife rehab center for the entire area and the cruelty investigators for a five county area.

There are many animals they take in this time of year that are raised behind blinds, completely hidden from human interaction so they can be released. The entire process is fascinating.

I think there’s less to worry about with ducks because even wild ones are often more domesticated. So there’s a great chance your ducks are fine. However, I would call to the center. I know we aren’t Dallas but it is close and very similar environments. It’s called the Wildlife Center of Texas. Explain the situation and ask to speak to a rehabber who can advise you, someone will be there or will call you back, it’s what they do. They can honestly advise you based on relative experience where to go from here, how to prepare for release, if they suggest release and where, and how, or where to get them from here to prepare them for that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[megamilez]

Can you keep them till later in summer when they begin to fly, they may just leave on their own. Then you will have given them time to fully become adults.

That was my plan initially. With this, I'm just curious that if I take them outside, and they fly off - will they be fine and find water (there are a few areas within a mile of my house that has some water - and obviously ducks in the area - in fact, some walked through our front yard today). I assume if they can't find any food or water, they'd come back to their "home"? I'd be really happy to see them leave on their own.

What do you think?

Part of the sketchy situation with humans getting involved in wildlife situations is raising them takes the fear out. That fear is oh so often necessary for survival.

....

They can honestly advise you based on relative experience where to go from here, how to prepare for release, if they suggest release and where, and how, or where to get them from here to prepare them for that.

This is def a great piece of advice! I would feel much better with them giving advice on the raise and release process. And yeah, luckily they are ducks who are kind of domesticated. Funny thing was today, I went to clean their home, so I always take them out while I work. They let me pick them up, however, I had already put on some latex gloves and they ran from me lol. I took the gloves off and they let me pick them up. Too funny.

That said, I'm not sure what it is about baby animals with me lately, but I was driving last night and a little (and I mean LITTLE - smaller than your fist) fuzz ball ran out in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and swerved to straddle it. It was a tiny tiny bunny. I turned around and came back to make sure I didn't hit him. He was up against the curb, poor guy. He was too tiny to jump up the curb so he was stuck on the road. It was a busy street (ironically where I got the ducklings) so I stopped in the middle of the road, threw my hazards on, and after about 10 minutes of coaxing him out from under my car, I escorted the little guy as far away from the road as I could. Hopefully he stays safe!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s the time of year. Babies everywhere some keep up some don’t and those are the ones that either someone finds and helps or the predators take. On the plan to let them leave on their own and I have seen others on here that have raised wok Mallard ducklings that have flown off and some that stayed around so what is the plan if you let them decide and they don’t leave? Would you be able to continue to care for them?