She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[WVduckchick]

Mandarins are gorgeous but very finicky to breed and raise... I know a couple people with them...

Biggest thing, and this will probably freak you out, you have to DROP them to get them to start eating...

Like 6 ft onto a bed... could you do that with a new hatched little duckling?? They are hatched in trees normally and the mom leaves the nest and goes to water and calls them til they all drop out of the tree... my OH found a vid on it, will see if I can get the link later...

I have read that!! And yes, I could drop one... as long as its onto something soft.

I watched a wonderful documentary on wood ducks, and it is so cool how they jump out of the tree to find momma. Unreal to think they instinctively know to do that so young.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have read that!!  And yes, I could drop one... as long as its onto something soft.  
I watched a wonderful documentary on wood ducks, and it is so cool how they jump out of the tree to find momma.  Unreal to think they instinctively know to do that so young. 

Yeah, I don't think I could do it, lol... happening in nature is one thing... tossing a cute little teeny tiny fluffnugget on purpose just sounds way more nerve wracking than hatching Calls...

 

[WVduckchick]

Yeah, I don't think I could do it, lol... happening in nature is one thing... tossing a cute little teeny tiny fluffnugget on purpose just sounds way more nerve wracking than hatching Calls...

Really? I bet you could handle it. If it knew that was the only way it was going to begin to eat... onto a soft bed.... yea, I could do it.

Of course, thinking I could do it, and actually doing it are two different things....

 

[meganhundley]

If you're bored, you could build me a modular 12'x24' brooder house/tractor shed/work shop; I'll pick it up when you're done.

Lol, I'm right on that!!

 

[OldMissionChick]

@WalnutHill thank you for meeting me and bringing some chicken eggs to hatch. Fingers crossed for some babies next month!

 

[WVduckchick]

@WalnutHill thank you for meeting me and bringing some chicken eggs to hatch. Fingers crossed for some babies next month!

That is sooo cool! Good luck!

 

[RubyNala97]

I did read a study where the eggs were dipped in a vitamin C solution prior to hatch.  This resulted in stronger chicks and increased hatch rate.  That led me to my Nutrition experiment.  

All find and dandy, if you can figure out who's lefty and who's righty!  

What was the nutrition experiment?

I'd think the only reason a permit would be required would be if they were considered game birds, like Mallards or Canvasback. May be wrong, though; was wrong one other time

I read that since they are not native here, you don't need a permit.

If they're not domesticated, where does the FL breeder get his eggs?  I would hope the gov't would shut him down if he were trapping & caging wild stock.

It's legal to raise them. So I don't know?

OMG!!! I just heard the sweetest little peeps coming from inside the bator, I looked through the window and no pips yet but atleast 1 has pipped internally, hopefully more than 1

that's great news!! Now you can hurry up and wait for a pip! The waiting during hatching just kills me!

Mandarins are gorgeous but very finicky to breed and raise... I know a couple people with them...

Biggest thing, and this will probably freak you out, you have to DROP them to get them to start eating...

Like 6 ft onto a bed... could you do that with a new hatched little duckling?? They are hatched in trees normally and the mom leaves the nest and goes to water and calls them til they all drop out of the tree... my OH found a vid on it, will see if I can get the link later...

I have to look that up!! I was just talking to my neighbor about them and he said that he used to have them!!! But they always died within 6 months of him buying them (I'm not surprised). They are so beautiful but I just don't think they would be practical with kids. I want to see that video!! The babies are so cute!!

 

[Pyxis]

If they're not domesticated, where does the FL breeder get his eggs? I would hope the gov't would shut him down if he were trapping & caging wild stock.

He probably owns his stock, but the birds themselves haven't been domesticated. Domestication takes years and years. For example, a tiger can be born in a zoo and live in the zoo and have its own cubs in the zoo, but the tiger and its cubs aren't domesticated, even though they have been in captivity their whole lives. Same with the mandarins - we can own them and breed them and they've been in captivity their whole lives, but they are not domesticated

 

[kwhites634]

He probably owns his stock, but the birds themselves haven't been domesticated. Domestication takes years and years. For example, a tiger can be born in a zoo and live in the zoo and have its own cubs in the zoo, but the tiger and its cubs aren't domesticated, even though they have been in captivity their whole lives. Same with the mandarins - we can own them and breed them and they've been in captivity their whole lives, but they are not domesticated

 

[Ravynscroft]

Really?  I bet you could handle it.  If it knew that was the only way it was going to begin to eat... onto a soft bed.... yea, I could do it.  

Of course, thinking I could do it, and actually doing it are two different things.... 

Yeah, hard to know until you're in that position, lol...

@WalnutHill thank you for meeting me and bringing some chicken eggs to hatch. Fingers crossed for some babies next month!

That is awesome!!!

What was the nutrition experiment?
I read that since they are not native here, you don't need a permit.
It's legal to raise them. So I don't know?
that's great news!! Now you can hurry up and wait for a pip! The waiting during hatching just kills me!
I have to look that up!! I was just talking to my neighbor about them and he said that he used to have them!!! But they always died within 6 months of him buying them (I'm not surprised). They are so beautiful but I just don't think they would be practical with kids. I want to see that video!! The babies are so cute!!

My friend said that her young male sounds like a little bass drum when he gets excited or is content... when they give him treats he does that sound, lol...

He probably owns his stock, but the birds themselves haven't been domesticated. Domestication takes years and years. For example, a tiger can be born in a zoo and live in the zoo and have its own cubs in the zoo, but the tiger and its cubs aren't domesticated, even though they have been in captivity their whole lives. Same with the mandarins - we can own them and breed them and they've been in captivity their whole lives, but they are not domesticated

Hear, Hear!!! Excellent post and very important points, Pyxis!!

Even in "domesticated" animals, their animal natures should never be ruled out as well... animals are very instinctual and will revert to those if stressed/scared, etc...