The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[4-H chicken mom]

Seven wks ago I took the eggs my Mandarin was sitting on and hatched them. They are doing great. Since then she has laid eleven more eggs and has been sitting on them for the last eighteen days. I finally found her out of the box and candled them. Only one was developing and to be honest, I don't know if it is still alive. The rest were not fertile. I didn't think they would be because he started molting before the last eggs I took. I don't know what I should do? I did remove all but four eggs. Should I remove them all but the one? If it turns out not to be alive and I remove it as well, will it cause her to lay eggs again? The male has no interest in her now, so I know future eggs won't be fertile either. In fact, is it normal for the drake to lose all his colorful feathering this early after breeding? He looks like her now and has not even began to regrown his feathering for two months now. Is this normal for him?
Thanks

 

[KansasKid]

Quote:
He should have gone into eclipse plumage pretty soon after breeding season. both my drakes are in full eclipse, the younger one went into it early last month and they won't get there color till in the fall. To find exact time of fall i will have to look in last years log book as i have it written down. Ill get back to you on that.

 

[destinduck]

It turned out all 5 of the baikal eggs were infertile. First year hen so that happens sometimes. Big bummer. I surely thought a couple would be good. Thats about my luck. I aint complaining too much cause everyone else did their job except those and the shovelers were the only infertile whole batches. Looks like I have to get the wife a new pair of shoes for the red-breasted geese I plan on getting this fall.

I have 1 mystery crossolder duckling ( looks like some red-crested in it

 

[exoticduckluvr]

TJ so sorry to hear about your losss. My heart aches for you

Well drat Destin!! They are only first yr birds correct??? I have found my first yr Ringed Teal Drakes not fertile. My 3 yr old hens are proven. They are both on a nest again now. Really hoping none hatch right now.

Did my Falcated ever try to breed for you or was it to late in the season??

 

[destinduck]

Too late for this year. They are in full molt right now. Hopefully next year they all go off. Hope you are doing well Donna

I have half a dozen fulvous babies running around in the pen with Mom and the black bellied has 7 in the box and still laying. I wish the treeduckswould shut down. Dont want no more of them. I only have two pair of fulvous and have had over 30 kids.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

well darn Shawn,
I was pullin for you on those baikals

on a side note, took your advice this past weekend....ended up with 41 dolphin out of it

 

[BarredCometLaced]

I have not read through the entire thread so i dont know if anyone has already asked this question... but if you rais wild strain mallards from ducklings (lots of socialization), will they fly away in the winter?

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

depends on just how "wild" the strain is. Most so called wild strains have been in captivity for many generations and arent really what I 'd call wild any more. However if they are truely wild wild strains, yes, there is a very good chance if not pinioned that they could migrate on you, smae goes for any really, but the chances are less on more domesticated lines

 

[destinduck]

Thanks Aubrey. Sorry so long getting back. A good friend brought me a pair of young silver woodducks,greenwings and singles so everyone is paired up again. I unfortunately had a male white-faced treeduck drown in one of my pools yesterday ( couldnt get out because of molt) but other than that all going well. Sold my europeans to Mark Hall and paradise shelducks got bought.. Hope to get eggs or baby australian or radjahs this spring for a trade of some of my birds that the zoo doesnt already have. We'll see. This fall I plan on getting some gargenys and the red breasted geese of course. I had my first hybrid in awhile. Silver bahama x mallard female. Waiting for it to grow a little more for a duck dinner. Cleaned 20 mallards for the freezer the other day. Going scalloping again next week. There has been alot of them this year. I guess cause no one went much last year because of the spill. This will be my third time to go after them and Im sure we will limit out again. Hope you are felling well Donna and get you some ringer ducklings. The facated didnt lay and they molted soon after. I bet they do this year though. I will bring you some red snapper when I get over that way again. Hope everyone and their human and bird families are doing well. God bless.

Quack Quack Shawn

 

[southern oaks]

Thanks to all the wonderful people on here with all the advice and help, I REFUSED TO GIVE UP. Ended up with one woodduck hen from my first pair and 4 from my 2nd pair. they are unrelated so I am keeping the hen and a drake. Then found somone close to me that offered me another wd hen. So I will keep one more drake. Going to try and sale the other 2 drakes. Then the same person had 2 pair of silver wood ducks, a pair of white/split mandarins, a chiloe trio, and a pair of norther pin tails.

I am going to do this and I am going to succeed. my wonderful husband is putting up a 50x150 aviary so everyone has plenty of room and going to make it duck friendly. putting in 3 ponds. And I have bought loads of bushes, flowers, ect.. ty ty ty for all the support