Will mallads stick around ??

[Blob Chicken]

I have a pair of mallards ,and they are starting to fly now. Assuming I leave them full winged ,should they stick around ?? The hen did a fly around the neighbor hood the other day and came back ,so perhaps it shows more of whats to come ??

Also I live in the city ,if it makes a difference.

 

[Kevin565]

If you live in the city please clip their wings. In the city she could easily be attacked by neighborhood dogs or even hit by a car.

 

[Ally Rose]

Yes please do! But if you don't, they would come back because you feed them, don't you? HA

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

They could very fly off and never return. All too often people post about ducks taking flight and not returning ever.

 

[Ally Rose]

Aw yeah, they could fall in love with the wild ducks. They are wild at heart!

 

[jdywntr]

They could very fly off and never return. All too often people post about ducks taking flight and not returning ever.

X 2 and who knows if they flew off with the wild ducks or met an unfortunate and painful end.

 

[Ally Rose]

So the lesson here is, kids, clip the wings

 

[Koipondduck]

I think that is a good idea as well.

 

[Pyxis]

I had a mallard whose wings I didn't clip early enough, and she's gone. Just flew off one day never to come back. We live out in the country with plenty of wild mallards so it's entirely possible that she joined a flock. Maybe she'll come back next year, maybe she won't. The only reason I haven't clipped the wings of the one mallard drake I have left is that he has very, very slight angel wing, and that restricts his flying abilities. When it starts to cool off, though, I'll be clipping him just in case. So yes, it would be a good idea to clip them, just so you're sure they're not going anywhere.