what is the best duck breed for free ranging on a lake?

[jujubean99]

A friend of mine is going to be buying some ducklings soon, and asked me to ask the backyard duck community what your thoughts are on what breed of duck he should get.
Here is the situation:
He lives on a small and quiet lake (no motor boats) and he is planning on raising up some ducklings and slowly introducing them to a free, cageless life. He plans to simply release them on the lake to live out their lives. He has tried to raise up pet ducks before but once they got a taste of life on the lake they wouldn't come back to their coop (he said he spotted the flock of them a year or so later and they were all doing great). Is there a certain breed that would be most successful living free or does it really not matter? Also, should I encourage him to provide a safe coop for them to return to/enforce them to return to? are there any extra safety precautions he should take to ensure the safe and happy lives of the ducks?
thanks!

 

[Amiga]

With great respect for your friend's dream, may I suggest he build wild duck boxes instead of try to get a domestic duck breed to survive in such an environment? If he wants eggs or pest control or other such services, there are a number of domestic breeds that will work well, but with safe shelter, clean drinking water and some food, especially in winter, provided by their human caregiver.

It will be nice to see a reply from someone who successfully has domestic ducks on a pond with few or no losses to predators. To do so is possible, and I think it requires quite a bit of planning, building, and management.

If ducks are left to fend for themselves, I think they lose interest in their relationships with people. What would be their motivation? They would need to develop survival skills, and that would include being very cautious around large predators, including people.