Setting them free.

[Joann916]

To all the people out here who have Mallard ducks, I need your advice, please.

I have 1 male and 2 female Mallards that I have raised for 4 years now, I got them when they were a few days old. I never cut their wings so they have always had the option to fly away, but choose to stay at my pond where I feed them daily of cracked corn and pellets. In the winter, we heat the pond for them, and have really made it that they were totally dependent on us for their survival.

A few weeks ago, the one female was attacked by a hawk, but we came out side just in time, and saved her life. She is all good now. Scott and I decided that our place was not a safe place anymore as a large family of hawks had recently moved onto the area. I also thought that maybe the ducks would enjoy living among other ducks and decided to take my ducks up to the state park where a very large lake and lots of forest habitat would be the perfect place for my ducks to live the life that they were created to do.

We took them up last weekend - no one there as the weather has been cool and rainy. When we opened the cage door, they didn't look back at us, but walked towards the large lake and swam to a nearby "safe haven" of brush on the water's edge. Each evening we have gone up to see the ducks and each time they are in the same exact place we had dropped them off at. Each evening we bring them some cracked corn and pellets and they devour this food like they are starving.

I know in my heart that it is going to take some time for my ducks to get accustomed to living in the wild. I am concerned because tonight when we drove up there to see them, they had ventured close to the parking lot where we had parked our vehicles for the past 6 evenings, and when they saw our truck, they wobbled quickly in our direction.

I guess i would feel better if a large group of ducks would embrace my ducks into their social group, but I guess it is still too early in the spring for other ducks to be flying around? BTW- I live in Pennsylvania.

Do any of you have any suggestions as to how I am to introduce my ducks to their freedom? If what i am doing is all wrong, I would go get them in a heart beat. I just don't know if my domesticated ducks are too domesticated to be introduced into the wild.. make sense??

any suggestions would be soo greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Joann

 

[country_girl011]

it is illegal to release domestic ducks in with a wild population.
and they may never adapt to the free life.
they are dependant on people and do not know how to survive in the wild

 

[wildpeas]

Thinking about your poor ducks looking for you guys to feed them makes me want to cry.

Really you should recapture them and put up an ad to find them a home. Expecting domesticated animals, even ducks, to survive suddenly on their own is horrible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

To all the people out here who have Mallard ducks, I need your advice, please.

I have 1 male and 2 female Mallards that I have raised for 4 years now, I got them when they were a few days old. I never cut their wings so they have always had the option to fly away, but choose to stay at my pond where I feed them daily of cracked corn and pellets. In the winter, we heat the pond for them, and have really made it that they were totally dependent on us for their survival.

A few weeks ago, the one female was attacked by a hawk, but we came out side just in time, and saved her life. She is all good now. Scott and I decided that our place was not a safe place anymore as a large family of hawks had recently moved onto the area. I also thought that maybe the ducks would enjoy living among other ducks and decided to take my ducks up to the state park where a very large lake and lots of forest habitat would be the perfect place for my ducks to live the life that they were created to do.

We took them up last weekend - no one there as the weather has been cool and rainy. When we opened the cage door, they didn't look back at us, but walked towards the large lake and swam to a nearby "safe haven" of brush on the water's edge. Each evening we have gone up to see the ducks and each time they are in the same exact place we had dropped them off at. Each evening we bring them some cracked corn and pellets and they devour this food like they are starving.

I know in my heart that it is going to take some time for my ducks to get accustomed to living in the wild. I am concerned because tonight when we drove up there to see them, they had ventured close to the parking lot where we had parked our vehicles for the past 6 evenings, and when they saw our truck, they wobbled quickly in our direction.

I guess i would feel better if a large group of ducks would embrace my ducks into their social group, but I guess it is still too early in the spring for other ducks to be flying around? BTW- I live in Pennsylvania.

Do any of you have any suggestions as to how I am to introduce my ducks to their freedom? If what i am doing is all wrong, I would go get them in a heart beat. I just don't know if my domesticated ducks are too domesticated to be introduced into the wild.. make sense??

any suggestions would be soo greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Joann

I think you have made a big mistake taking your domesticated ducks to live like wild birds which they never have done. as you are seeing they don't know how to fend for themselves and are still looking to you to feed them. I know you intentions were good, you didn't want them killed by hawks that moved into your area, well don't you think there are hawks there, plus raccoons, bobcats, coyote, foxes, and humans that would probably do harm to your ducks also and with them not fearing humans well I for one don't even want to think how cruel people can be. I think I would try to bring them home, yes they are in danger of hawks where you live but at least they would have lived with food and family for the rest of their lives. Doesn't your pond have natural vegetation around it for them to hide in? I'm sorry if i sound cruel but taking ducks or any animal that has been your pet for 4 years and dropping it off some where is cruel to me. you asked.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

This is so sad. Post an add for someone who will care for them to get them from you, but don't doom them to dieing in the wild from lack of food or a predator. No they won't figure out how to be wild, no they won't figure out how to forage. Yes they will starve or worse be killed. You need to take them back home and find them a loving home to take them in and care properly for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is a link that may help you make up your mind to go get your ducks before it's too late. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/70364/releasing-waterfowl-graphic-pictures

 

[Shayna]

I understand you meant well, and that is why you came here for advice. I agree with the other posters and am concerned for their safety. The ducks are looking for people to take care of them and will likely never adapt. Please try to find a home for them. There may even be people who will come and help capture them. There will be someone out there who can give them a safer home. Please consider it.

 

[Joann916]

Thank you for all your advice. I asked, but deep down inside I knew what all of your advice would lead to. Believe me, I am a animal person, and would never do anything intentionally to hurt any thing that breathes. I am heading up there to ge them.
I did read a post on here on on a duck forum a few weeks back about releasing ducks into the wild.Maybe i read the whole thing wrong.

thank you again for your advice.

 

[wildpeas]

I'm so glad you are going to go get them. I dont think you will have a hard time finding them a new home.

 

[Shayna]

I am also very happy that you're going to try to get them back. You're making the right choice. Thanks for taking the advice constructively. It shows you care for them. Also, welcome to BYC!