How Do I Keep Mallards?

[DuckDuckPromise]

Hi there! I posted a thread a bit ago asking what breed of ducks we got from the feed store. I am leaning towards mallards, which puts me in a bit of a learning curve. We have always had very heavy weight ducks, or lighter ones who don’t fly much (chocolate runner)
That leads to my question: How do I keep mallards?! If what these babies are is in fact a mallard, how do I keep them from flying away? I know how to trim flight feathers (or at least I have attempted it before) and the other obvious way of just leaving them in an enclosed run, but I would love from the to free range during the day… what I don’t want is to walk out to my pets taking flight when there is a chill in the air! Does anyone have mallards, and if so, any tips and tricks for keeping them? Are they good layers? Friendly? I’m totally new with these babies! Any information would be greatly appreciated!!


(Yellow duckling is from a few days ago, she is what I think is a silver Appleyard)

 

[cheezenkwackers]

You can tell if you have Mallards by looking to see if they have a back toe on their right foot. By law, all domestic Mallards must have this toe removed to keep it identifiable from wild mallards. If yours have both back toes they are Rouen. Yours look like Rouen to me, but the toe will tell.https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...y-ducks-that-have-their-toes-clipped.1092079/

 

[DuckDuckPromise]

You can tell if you have Mallards by looking to see if they have a back toe on their right foot. By law, all domestic Mallards must have this toe removed to keep it identifiable from wild mallards. If yours have both back toes they are Rouen. Yours look like Rouen to me, but the toe will tell.https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...y-ducks-that-have-their-toes-clipped.1092079/

Ohhh, yay!! Lord’s Willing, I’ll have to check some baby ducky toes! It must wait til morning though, because they are all quieted down for the night! Snug as three duckies in a brooder! (Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…)
Thank you for your help!
I had no idea that toe clipping was a thing! I’m always learning something new on here!
Are rouens a flighty breed?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Ohhh, yay!! Lord’s Willing, I’ll have to check some baby ducky toes! It must wait til morning though, because they are all quieted down for the night! Snug as three duckies in a brooder! (Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it…)
Thank you for your help!
I had no idea that toe clipping was a thing! I’m always learning something new on here!
Are rouens a flighty breed?

I don’t believe they are but I have never had any. They are considered a heavy breed (meat bird) like the Silver Appleyard and Pekin.

 

[DuckDuckPromise]

I don’t believe they are but I have never had any. They are considered a heavy breed (meat bird) like the Silver Appleyard and Pekin.

Oh, good! Maybe that means no flying Thank you so much