There's no place like home.

[kaumlauf]

Thursday I re-homed 5 Mallards to a lake about 10 miles from my house. 3 drakes and 2 hens. The drakes were being aggressive, so something had to be done.
I let them go on the edge of the lake. They flew up and out over the lake, going in different directions. I said good bye. I drove home. This afternoon, I heard a loud quaking in the yard. One of the hens returned home. She is now contentedly resting, after a long drink and snack. I'll take good care of her if she stays the winter (northern PA). Should I expect to see some of her clan arrive back too?

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

you released domestic ducks. they’ll die if they don’t find someone to care for them.

 

[kaumlauf]

They are Mallards and there is a pond. They have been foraging for themselves for weeks. Why do you say they are domestic?

 

[KaleIAm]

Thursday I re-homed 5 Mallards to a lake about 10 miles from my house. 3 drakes and 2 hens. The drakes were being aggressive, so something had to be done.
I let them go on the edge of the lake. They flew up and out over the lake, going in different directions. I said good bye. I drove home. This afternoon, I heard a loud quaking in the yard. One of the hens returned home. She is now contentedly resting, after a long drink and snack. I'll take good care of her if she stays the winter (northern PA). Should I expect to see some of her clan arrive back too?View attachment 2349513

10 miles?! That's impressive! What a sweet adorable girl!

 

[Duck mommy 2019]

They are Mallards and there is a pond. They have been foraging for themselves for weeks. Why do you say they are domestic?

bought from a store, makes them domestic. if they were rescued from the wild, that would be a whole different story. my ducks forage too and they aren’t wilf

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

bought from a store, makes them domestic. if they were rescued from the wild, that would be a whole different story. my ducks forage too and they aren’t wilf

Better we ought to get some more back story before we push the panic button.

 

[kaumlauf]

what facts support that assumption? Thousands of years of instinct to act as prey, (hide, flee, take flight) and join up with others and migrate cannot be undone because a chick was hatched under a roof.

 

[TomCahalan]

bought from a store, makes them domestic. if they were rescued from the wild, that would be a whole different story. my ducks forage too and they aren’t wilf

The word that you are looking for is "tame".

Domestication is an evolutionary process whereby a species becomes more compatible with humans. It is genetic.

Taming is a conditioning process whereby an individual animal becomes more compatible with humans. It is not genetic.

A domestic animal living in the wild is "feral". A wild animal living among humans is, ideally, "tame".

Mallards are wild, and while some may be tame, they never lose their wild instincts.

 

[kaumlauf]

The word that you are looking for is "tame".

Domestication is an evolutionary process whereby a species becomes more compatible with humans. It is genetic.

Taming is a conditioning process whereby an individual animal becomes more compatible with humans. It is not genetic.

A domestic animal living in the wild is "feral". A wild animal living among humans is, ideally, "tame".

Mallards are wild, and while some may be tame, they never lose their wild instincts.

Thank you for your thoughtful, helpful and informative, educated response.

 

[azure_]

what facts support that assumption? Thousands of years of instinct to act as prey, (hide, flee, take flight) and join up with others and migrate cannot be undone because a chick was hatched under a roof.

@Duck mommy 2019 is completely right that know longer have there wild instincts and will not migrate they are domestic Mallards, they may look the same as wild Mallards but they are not.