Whats best for the duck and ducklings welfare?

[NatJ]

Sorry this is going to be a really long question! I live in the UK, so I know things may be different here than in the US.

I would suggest checking for rules/laws about wild birds, first. Because you getting legal trouble would not help the ducks at all.

I'm in the USA, and I'm pretty sure that what you suggest would not be permitted here, if the duck really is a wild species.

After checking what's allowed:
If you want to make a big, safe enclosure and shut them up in it: watch how the mother reacts, and make a decision based on that. If she walks around quacking, then settles back down, that's fine. But if she constantly paces and fusses, there comes a point when her stress is bad for her and the babies. And of course, if she steps on them in her distress that could kill them too--which isn't really better than having the other wildlife kill them.

Have you considered just taking her eggs away? (Subject to what's legal, of course.) She's already had one brood this year, and no ducklings means no dead ducklings. You could leave her an empty nest and see if she gives up, or you could give her fake eggs and let her sit on them for a while.

 

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

If she’s flying she may just still come an go as she pleases unless you cover the top which you should do if you have flying predators which sounds like they are your worst preds. If mum is already use to you and the setup you had all you can do is try and see how she reacts. Mallards if this is her breed nest away from water and will walk their ducklings over highways etc to get them to water. So her usual hang out maybe 2 miles away.stop at the farm house and talk to them maybe she is theirs or they maybe they can take her and ducklings. Keep us updated.

Will do thankyou....and yes the shelter protects them from airbornes....I'll just have to try my best and see how she reacts. In fairness Im surprised she came back. Shes a Mallard. Id built trust with her last time for 2 weeks, then suddenly one day I had to catch her and her ducklings in order to release them, and so I would have thought that woukd put her off coming back. Maybe they are more intelligent than I think and she realises I caught her to set her free. Who knows!

 

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

I would suggest checking for rules/laws about wild birds, first. Because you getting legal trouble would not help the ducks at all.

I'm in the USA, and I'm pretty sure that what you suggest would not be permitted here, if the duck really is a wild species.

After checking what's allowed:
If you want to make a big, safe enclosure and shut them up in it: watch how the mother reacts, and make a decision based on that. If she walks around quacking, then settles back down, that's fine. But if she constantly paces and fusses, there comes a point when her stress is bad for her and the babies. And of course, if she steps on them in her distress that could kill them too--which isn't really better than having the other wildlife kill them.

Have you considered just taking her eggs away? (Subject to what's legal, of course.) She's already had one brood this year, and no ducklings means no dead ducklings. You could leave her an empty nest and see if she gives up, or you could give her fake eggs and let her sit on them for a while.

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Thanks. No I havent checked the law - but I would have thought if Im catching her to ultimately release her then thats legal. I totally understand you cant catch wild animals and keep them as pets. I definitely dont want to keep them . Thanks for your advice - it makes sense about watching to see how she reacts- I dont want her stressed out. Im going to have to suck and see, and bend and flex accordingly. Was just wondering if someone had had a similar experience and what they did. I havent considered taking her eggs. Id feel really guilty. But Im going to make sure that next year if she decides to cone back that my compost heap is out of bounds! Thanks

 

[NatJ]

No I havent checked the law - but I would have thought if Im catching her to ultimately release her then thats legal.

If your laws are as sensible as that, then they're better than some of the ones in the U.S.

If there is a law that prevents people keeping wildlife as pets, it might have been written in such as way that what you want to do (contain them for their own safety, release later) gets an exception--or not.

 

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

I would hang bird net up over your garden it will keep them from being taken off with do it 6ft off the ground then when they get bigger you can take them to the pond and not have to worry about them dying or sleeping in your garden

Thankyou - this is pretty much what I had in mind. Its just that my garden is huge - so I could not hang netting all over my garden, so my plan was to fence my garden off a bit. They would then only have access to that portion of it, and Id put netting over that section to stop anything getting in. Then I can catch them to move them on in a couple of weeks when the ducklings are less vulnerable to predators.

 

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

Just trying to provide some perspective.

Thanks. I do see your point, and agree that this mother duck is a bit on the daft side. Is it ok to say that my mother in law is also an idiot? , but my husband turner out ok. I think they are likely to make an appearance soon, and Id find it hard to sit back and do nothing. So I wanted to give a helping hand with as minimal disturbance to them as possible. However, its obvious shes going to come back year after year now, so as soon as shes gone this time, my compost heap, where she chooses to nest will be made out of bounds for her.