Questions about pet mallard ducks!

[Chick1043]

My dad brought home a mallard duckling from a friend from work. Long story so I'll get with the questions!
#1- I don't want it to fly away, but then again cutting wings would be cruel? But of course if you don't cut them it would be cruel because it would fly away and not be use to the wild..

#2 I have a drake cayuga. If it turns out to be a girl will she not fly away because there's male duck here?

#3 Is there any signs of male or female in mallards other than quack and vent sexing? I know how to vent sex but want to be accurate...So far I think it's a girl...Hopefully

Thanks!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My dad brought home a mallard duckling from a friend from work. Long story so I'll get with the questions!
#1- I don't want it to fly away, but then again cutting wings would be cruel? But of course if you don't cut them it would be cruel because it would fly away and not be use to the wild..

#2 I have a drake cayuga. If it turns out to be a girl will she not fly away because there's male duck here?

#3 Is there any signs of male or female in mallards other than quack and vent sexing? I know how to vent sex but want to be accurate...So far I think it's a girl...Hopefully

Thanks!!

Congrats on you new baby, I have never had a mallard but you can wait till they start getting their adult plumage and can sex that way. Go to Metzers web site they have a video that shows how to vent sex. and as for wing clipping it is not cruelif you want to keep it home you may have to, i have Muscovies and my young ones get 1 wing clipped each year after molting. If done right there is no blood either. Metzers also has a link on clipping wings.. Hope you have a girl. also drakes will get the drake feather at starting around 4-5 months I believe. also girls are loud quackers boys kinda raspy voiced.

 

[Chick1043]

Congrats on you new baby, I have never had a mallard but you can wait till they start getting their adult plumage and can sex that way. Go to Metzers web site they have a video that shows how to vent sex. and as for wing clipping it is not cruelif you want to keep it home you may have to, i have Muscovies and my young ones get 1 wing clipped each year after molting. If done right there is no blood either. Metzers also has a link on clipping wings.. Hope you have a girl. also drakes will get the drake feather at starting around 4-5 months I believe. also girls are loud quackers boys kinda raspy voiced.

Thanks! I'll go to that website!

 

[Chick1043]

Thought you might want to see a pic of her/him! I don't know why but she/he really looks like a girl!! Hopefully >

 

[Mum]

Thought you might want to see a pic of her/him! I don't know why but she/he really looks like a girl!! Hopefully >

 

[Nsampsel]

I have 2 Mallards at about 6-7 weeks old right now...and still really no way to tell them apart. I live in town, so I have to clip wings. If you cut the feathers along the edge of the 2nd row of feathers from the edge of the blue band out to wingtip on 1 side it will render them unable to fly without hurting them. It just throws them off balance enuf to make them unable to fly. There are several websites on wing trimming and it is pretty much the same in all birds. Your feathers are just much easier to see where to start/stop on a Mallard due to the blue band. If you don't want your ducks to fly away at about 3-4 months old, they need to have a wing clipped. If you are ok with them joining a wild flock (which they will be fine doing & may return with a mate next spring) then leave them untrimmed. Just remember tho, you need to trim after every molt & check again after a week or so to make sure the feathers didn't grow out more after trimming.

 

[ladyduck]

Aww very cute

 

[feathersweet]

I got four ducklings in February that were just born. One is a mallard and she started quaking at 3.5-4 weeks. Adorable. The other ducks are just starting to make their adult sounds. Our mallard was the first to quake-up - perhaps you mallard will speak-up early, too. Congrats-they are precious!

 

[BaJa]

You clip the flight feathers. Not the wings. also, they don't feel it. It is just like cutting our hair. Just don't cut too close to the actual wing. There are videos on YouTube where you can see how to do it.