Starting out as a duck mama

[Mamasaurusrex2]

I'm glad they have you and that you have taken the time to care for them and learn all you can. Simular to how I got hooked lol. Predator issues will be your biggest worry right now I think, day and night. I keep my girls in a storage, laundry room at night. I didn't have a pen ready when I got them. Once we built the pen we decided they liked their room and kept bedtime routine the same. During the day they have a run, a predator proof pen then free range while supervised. The day I chased off a hawk waving a broom in the air...I knew I had officially become that crazy duck lady lol. It's a badge I wear proudly. I love my ducks and I can tell you love yours. Congratulations on your new ducks!

Oh that is funny. My husband calls me a crazy duck lady, I talk about them all day. I have also chased off older ducks who were picking on these babies, especially when they were smaller. There is a mama mallard with 8 babies who was trying to drown my babies about 3 weeks ago. Now that they are bigger that mama and her babies do chase mine off and pull their feathers but not the awful attacks like before. My babies are very scared of them and keep a distance. I worry about predators a lot with them down in the creek We have coyotes come through here and raccoons and lots of ospreys and hawks. (One reason I want them safe in my yard lol) That sounds alike a perfect plan, a run during the day and free range while supervised with a house a night. That's funny yours like their room better

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

I don't consider myself an expert but your pictures like very much like juvenile mallard ducklings.....they could be flying any day now. The adult feathers don't come in until fall. If you first starting feeding them as little tiny ducklings then I expect they lost their mother. I guess you will find out in due time. Have a wonderful time feeding them...

Yes the two smaller ones I am sure are juvenile mallards, the other one is twice their size, she is bigger than the adult mama mallards here but she is still getting her flight feathers in. They look about 8ish weeks old to me. They showed up 5 weeks ago with no mama and started coming to my patio 4 times a day to be fed, they are definitely orphaned or they were dumped by someone. I am told the larger is a rouen, because of her size and her feathers are differently colored a bit I knew she was different. Now after looking up rouens I am positive she is. I was wondering how a rouen and 4 mallards of all the same age ended up stranded together. Either way they are well bonded. (Two mallards had injured legs 4 weeks ago and we took them to the bird rescue so these three are the ones who are left). Will they learn to fly without a mama?

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

This was a storage shed when we bought in 1995 then my husband built his Harley a house and that got took over then we built a house for our geese. It just goes on an on lol I started out with 4 Muscovy in 2004 then added geese in 2007 then chickens in 2009. Now I have 42 total. View attachment 1832471View attachment 1832474 View attachment 1832469

I love your set up!! It's all so beautiful and peaceful looking. 42!! That must be so much fun. We have talked about getting both ducks and chickens for years but we weren't allowed them at our last house.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am blessed that my flock is pretty peaceful with each other. Breeding season and the geese can be trying but thank goodness that’s over for the year.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

The top pic from left to right is Jimmy (rouen) and the other two smaller ones I believe are mallards Squeakers and Fuzzy. The second pic is the two smaller ones.

If they are indeed mallards would my feeding them make them bigger? They are a bit bigger than the other mallards at the same feather development.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

I'm trying to find good pics of their faces. They are so wiggly lol. I have lots of videos but it won't let me post them.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well feeding them def gives them an advantage over those that have to work at finding their food. They sure a pretty ducks.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Well feeding them def gives them an advantage over those that have to work at finding their food. They sure a pretty ducks.

I'm so excited they are getting the blue stripe on their wings!