Quiet, Affectionate, Small Duck Recommendations Please

[terris]

I have made my decision on the Welsh Harlequins. For 6 years I have looked for the perfect chicken or duck coop and basically disliked all of them. So I am having my very busy son make me the coop my Dad made for my duck when I was young. It's just a 4 x 4 x 4 3/4" plywood box, slanted roof, door that swings down to make a ramp. It was on legs. It was great and the ducks loved it. I have no idea if the floor was wood or heavy metal type screening though. What do you think is best? We have a ton of predators and have PA Winters. I plan to get a dog crate heater and deicer in winter. I will paint it white so it looks nice in the gardens.

I can order the WH for late May delivery so he has time to make the coop.
These were the only babies left but they are adorable. The lady said they would get their flights and adult feathers and fly away so then I will have my "real" duckling by then I guess.

Thanks so much for your help. What do you think about the coop?

Baby Peeps! Yeah!!!

 

[buff goose guy]

welsh harlequins arent supposed to be able to fly .

 

[Amykins]

That fact that she expects them to fly away and seems nonplussed by that seems kinda...weird?

 

[terris]

WH do not fly. The baby Flying Mallards I bought just now will.

 

[buff goose guy]

ohh yeah they will, just clip there wings after their blood feathers have gone.

 

[Amykins]

So you bought mallards even though they aren't what you wanted? I'm so confused o.o;; Do you want them to fly away when the WH are available?

 

[Tevyes Dad]

So you bought mallards even though they aren't what you wanted? I'm so confused o.o;; Do you want them to fly away when the WH are available?

That's what I read too! Mallard ducklings brought up in the home won't stand a chance if they fly away.

 

[terris]

Now I am totally confused. I guess I feel stupid. I read up on every duck except these because it never occurred to me to consider them. The lady at the store said "Flying Mallards" leave... as in... go... as in... fly away. They don't bond to people she said. Are you saying they will NOT fly away? I asked her if I could trim wing feathers so they could stick around. She said nobody has ever asked about that because they just go. If they stick around, that's fine with me. I'll still get the WH. It's just that 4 is a lot more than I had planned for.

 

[needlessjunk]

Now I am totally confused. I guess I feel stupid. I read up on every duck except these because it never occurred to me to consider them. The lady at the store said "Flying Mallards" leave... as in... go... as in... fly away. They don't bond to people she said. Are you saying they will NOT fly away? I asked her if I could trim wing feathers so they could stick around. She said nobody has ever asked about that because they just go. If they stick around, that's fine with me. I'll still get the WH. It's just that 4 is a lot more than I had planned for. 

Irresponsible people just "let them go". The lady you spoke to has no clue about ducks. Clip their wings or keep them in an enclosure to keep them around. Letting them fly off so to speak is not the way to go about this.

 

[Amykins]

Now I am totally confused. I guess I feel stupid. I read up on every duck except these because it never occurred to me to consider them. The lady at the store said "Flying Mallards" leave... as in... go... as in... fly away. They don't bond to people she said. Are you saying they will NOT fly away? I asked her if I could trim wing feathers so they could stick around. She said nobody has ever asked about that because they just go. If they stick around, that's fine with me. I'll still get the WH. It's just that 4 is a lot more than I had planned for.

Here's the thing; earlier we stated that mallards aren't that affectionate so they wouldn't fit the bill (no pun intended) for what you wanted. But you got them anyway, so now they're your responsibility. Needless is right, they could very well fly off if they're unclipped, but being raised in captivity would mean certain doom for them if they ever did. To be honest, I wouldn't buy any more animals from this woman, even when the WH do hatch, because she's kind of heartless and doesn't really seem to care about the well-being of her birds at all.