Wild Mallards?

[Mrs MIA]

The last ducklings that we got that were from a hatchery had the right hind toe already removed. Even at 6 weeks you can do it, if you know for sure it came from captive stock. There might be a dab of blood, but it still isn't bad. It is supposed to be done no later than 6 weeks of age. We tried to find the seamless legbands, but couldn't find any. Even the NationalBand.com didn't have them except for pigeons.

Maybe someone else will have some info...

 

[RavenStorm]

Quote:
Terrielacy: I was in complete agreement with your stance from the start. Yet as I stated, I really do not believe that these birds were taken from the wild. I have the sneaking belief that I was lied to for some unknown reason and that these ducklings are hatched out from domestic parents. I have been calling the local Fish and Game office, but no one there seems to know right off the top of their head what the laws are so they are looking them up for me and I am supposed to call back this week to get the info. I won't mark them at all until I know for sure, and I already have the local rescue centers on alert that I might be bringing them by soon just in case that is the path of least resistance for me.

ETA: If anyone can tell me how to tell the difference by just looking at ducklings which ones are from a wild variety and which ones are from a domesticated variety, please do. It will make my decision much easier and I'll sleep better at night.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Post pictures with something to compare size with. My favorite is a soda can, it is a universal size that most people can compare to. Maybe by getting pictures, someone can tell whether they are domestics or not. You may even have rouens or something.

I would even call the lady you got them from and flat out ask her. "Hi, I was wondering if there is any possible way that these could be domestic ducklings? Or even come from a domestic bred mallard?" You could feed her some story. "Fish and Game will not let me keep them unless they are domestics, and I would hate to turn a non-wild animal loose into the wild to be eaten by predators or starvation"

You have the ducklings now, the only one that is going to lose because of the "I rescued them" story is going to be the ducklings.

I don't want to advice you to do anything illegal, but if it were I with the ducklings. I would simply raise them as any other duck, and if they were actually fully flighted mallards let them do what they will once they become of age. As long as you don't cover their pen or pinion them, they will fly away as they please if they really are wild mallards. Then if they turn out to be a domestic duck, such as a rouen, they will be unable to fly away.

-Kim