releasing ducks into the wild?

[LuvDux]

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Mine were a year old. I just let them go where there were other ducks nearby and fed them until they learned to be a duck by themselves. They were pretty dependent at first but after about a week they stopped coming in the yard for food. Definately make sure they can fly.

 

[LuvDux]

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I don't know any difference except that domestic ducks were born in captivity.

 

[Judy]

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You need to make your own thread in the Other Poultry Buy Sell Trade forum. Your location needs to be part of the thread title. See the sticky at the beginning of the forum for instructions on how to post there.

 

[JohnsChickens]

Sometimes I find an odd orphan duckling that needs to be rescued and released when old enough. They generally do very well at integrating back into the local wild flock. Here in the UK, it's illegal to release domestics into the wild or any other non-native species.

I found this article by Zoe Brodie-James interesting: https://poultrykeeper.com/blog/releasing-domestic-ducks-into-the-wild/

To answer the question about the difference between domestic and wild, we don't really have domestic Mallard here in the UK but in general, our domestic ducks are heavier, more productive and less able to fly.
Wild Mallard would be nervous of people and take off when approached, they are very capable in the flight department!

Sadly, there are many dumped domestic ducks on ponds, lakes and parks and they do mix with the local Mallard population :-(

 

[seashoreduck]

I don't know any difference except that domestic ducks were born in captivity.

In most American states ducks born in captivity that resemble wild ducks (rouen, mallard, wood) must have their toe clipped. I believe it most states it's the right toe. If you're able to see the ducks you can notice this trait pretty quickly

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/166280/marking-my-wood-ducks-help

 

[SentryFE]

I have had free range ducks for years on farm ponds they do fine. Yes sometimes they get eaten. But I let my Anatolian farm the farm. And the Coyotes and other 4 legged things get eaten by the Anatolians. If I hear coyotes or foxes it I just turn out the dogs and it's done.

 

[Amykins]

Please don't release captive raised ducks, even mallards. They never learned how to be a duck, and may have imprinted on you, so they'll never truly thrive in the wild.