ok so here's my story. it starts two years ago:
I had 2 mallard ducks my dad got me. It turns out that they were male and female. I got them in the spring and kept them through the winter into the next spring. I had ordered 10 ducks in the mail and decided that I would let my two go before the new babies came in. Penelope had laid eggs. I tried to hatch them out but it didn't work. My grandma lives right on a lake so I figured that would be the best place to do it. I took both Penelope and Richard out to the water and plopped them in. They loved it and quickly figured out that my grandma was their new feeder. It was hard just leaving them, I wanted to stay with them for their first night. I left a bag of food with my grandma and said goodbye. The next morning I came back and was relieved to find they had made it through the night (it stormed) and were still right out in front of the house. I thought that the two would stay together but as luck would have it a wild male came and took Penelope away. Richard fought so hard to keep him away but eventually lost. The two, plus the wild male, stay around the house for most of the summer. My grandma would feed them. Eventually they learned to fend for themselves and ventured farther and farther away and to other parts of the lake. Penelope and the wild male dissappeared and I never saw her again. However, Richard has made it through migrating and has come back to my grandmas. I know its him because he sits in his favorite spot on the pier. Plus I can get within 5 feet of him before he jumps in the water.
About a month ago my sister rescued a newborn baby mallard from the parking lot at Taco Bell. I have no idea how it got there. Anyway, this new little baby has started to quack so its a female. I took her out to my grandmas for her first trip in the water. Richard immediately showed interest in her and even flew right next to me in the water to get a better look. I plan to release this new duck in the same spot and hopefully Richard with take her and help her to learn how to be a duck. She lives with 3 chickens and gets distressed when they are separated.
Has anybody had any luck releasing ducks? I'm not sure how to approach this with only one duck. Last year I had a pair. How can I break the relationship with the chickens and shift her over to Richard? She is a wild duck after all and I want her live like one.
Any ideas?
I had 2 mallard ducks my dad got me. It turns out that they were male and female. I got them in the spring and kept them through the winter into the next spring. I had ordered 10 ducks in the mail and decided that I would let my two go before the new babies came in. Penelope had laid eggs. I tried to hatch them out but it didn't work. My grandma lives right on a lake so I figured that would be the best place to do it. I took both Penelope and Richard out to the water and plopped them in. They loved it and quickly figured out that my grandma was their new feeder. It was hard just leaving them, I wanted to stay with them for their first night. I left a bag of food with my grandma and said goodbye. The next morning I came back and was relieved to find they had made it through the night (it stormed) and were still right out in front of the house. I thought that the two would stay together but as luck would have it a wild male came and took Penelope away. Richard fought so hard to keep him away but eventually lost. The two, plus the wild male, stay around the house for most of the summer. My grandma would feed them. Eventually they learned to fend for themselves and ventured farther and farther away and to other parts of the lake. Penelope and the wild male dissappeared and I never saw her again. However, Richard has made it through migrating and has come back to my grandmas. I know its him because he sits in his favorite spot on the pier. Plus I can get within 5 feet of him before he jumps in the water.
About a month ago my sister rescued a newborn baby mallard from the parking lot at Taco Bell. I have no idea how it got there. Anyway, this new little baby has started to quack so its a female. I took her out to my grandmas for her first trip in the water. Richard immediately showed interest in her and even flew right next to me in the water to get a better look. I plan to release this new duck in the same spot and hopefully Richard with take her and help her to learn how to be a duck. She lives with 3 chickens and gets distressed when they are separated.
Has anybody had any luck releasing ducks? I'm not sure how to approach this with only one duck. Last year I had a pair. How can I break the relationship with the chickens and shift her over to Richard? She is a wild duck after all and I want her live like one.
Any ideas?
