wild (Mallard?) duck eggs - in my incubator

[brainfog]

Last month, our LGD discovered a duck incubating eggs near in her yard. She barked at the duck endlessly and eventually the duck flew off and Kira helped herself to two 2 duck eggs.

When the duck didn't return for the day, I took the remaining eggs and incubated them. I'll probably stop turning today and in a few days might have 7 wild Mallard ducks!

Wondering what to do w/these chicks of wild duck genes!

I have a broody chicken, maybe she would like them? Funny YT video on this. But after a few weeks, they're going to go their own way - and I'll have some chicks with wild duck genes.

Or maybe they should imprint on Kira [the LGD]. She has much responsibility for this! [These will be the first chicks since the LGD (now ~15 months old) - so Kira and I will have some work together.]

Ideas on what to do with the chicks and what to expect from them in the coming months?

Should I try to keep them, for eggs, dinner, or another ornamental birds in my flock? Will they fly away?

[I'm very experienced hatching and raising free-range poultry - including domesticated geese and Heritage turkeys (and possibly half wild turkeys) in the past - but 100% wild genes are new to me.]

 

[Helloworld]

Keeping wild mallards is illegal. Call your local game and fish or destroy them.

 

[casportpony]

Keeping wild mallards is illegal. Call your local game and fish or destroy them.

Destroying them is just as illegal as having them.

 

[chickens really]

Fines are extremely high keeping wild Waterfowl.

 

[brainfog]

I guess this became illegal in the past 8 years?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/incubating-wild-duck-eggs.498257/

So I'll return them to the nest.....

 

[casportpony]

I guess this became illegal in the past 8 years?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/incubating-wild-duck-eggs.498257/

So I'll return them to the nest.....

It's been illegal for many years, but lots of people still do it. Don't worry about it, just hatch them and enjoy the experience.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Turn them over to a wild life rehabber once hatched so they can prepare them for introduction to the wild.

 

[brainfog]

From what I'm reading elsewhere, the mama duck, was actually quite tame and was likely an escaped domesticated one.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...allard-duckling-can-we-keep-her.526285/page-2

But back to the real question - what to expect with these guys?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you mean once they hatch? Well they will imprint on who they see first so you are going to be a duck mama you’ll need to set them up in a brooder you’ll need a way to keep them warm is this what your meaning how to care for them?

 

[bluemerle]

Flightiness. My wild mallard ducklings were generally just terrified birds - they got a lot tamer when they were adults and I moved them out to their pen (and thus, stopped 'chasing' them to clean their brooder) but as babies? Really convinced I was going to eat them.

That being said: please don't take this responsibility lightly. Flying ability doesn't mean jack: if you raise them, they will not have the skills to survive in the wild, and a lot of human-raised mallards fly off as adults and get eaten by the first dog who encounters them. Either keep them with the intention of keeping them forever or hand them off to a rehabber.