Mallard can't quack

[IGmom]

Hi all,
I was given a baby female mallard a while back and she can't quack. Usually if animals are mute they are also deaf.
Anyway, she has started to fly.I don't think she means to leave her pen but if the geese get to running around and flapping their wings she gets to going and then before she knows it she is out of the pen. There are predators around here. I find her in the horse pasture or the yard trying to get back in. Now why she doesn't just fly in I don't know but my guestion to you all is this: should we clip her wings to keep her from being killed or not?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi all,
I was given a baby female mallard a while back and she can't quack. Usually if animals are mute they are also deaf.
Anyway, she has started to fly.I don't think she means to leave her pen but if the geese get to running around and flapping their wings she gets to going and then before she knows it she is out of the pen. There are predators around here. I find her in the horse pasture or the yard trying to get back in. Now why she doesn't just fly in I don't know but my guestion to you all is this: should we clip her wings to keep her from being killed or not?

If you feel she is in danger of being eaten then yes clip one wing. I clip my Muscovy's to keep them grounded since we are surrounded by woods and we have lots of preds.

 

[IGmom]

I think we will do that. Thanks so much for your help and for replying!!!

 

[Duck Drover]

Is it possible your hen is actually a drake? Young drakes have hen type feathering so the way to tell is voice sexing or vent sexing. No quack would typically indicate a drake but vent sexing would be the most accurate.

 

[IGmom]

Really??!!! Omg. I don't know. It has been opening its little mouth since it was a baby but nothing comes out but a barely audible squeaky sound. You can only hear it once in a while and it is so soft if the wind is blowing and you aren't close enough you won't hear it. I will try to post a pic. Thanks for replying.

 

[IGmom]

I need to get this figured out as I am looking for companion/mate for it. Found some about her age, maybe a little younger in Vinita, Ok. Planned to go get a male and 2 females but I may actually just need the females. Will male ducks fight?

 

[Duck Drover]

If the drakes are raised together they do fine but it also depends on the breed and personality of the ducks. I don't think Mallards are known for aggression so more than one drake is fine as long as there are enough hens. I have found that fertility is better when I have several drakes with the hens because they work together to catch the hen, either deliberately or by happenstance. The hens do tend to choose a drake and follow him around and they will tell off any other ducks that get to close to her or her man, LOL.

Vent sexing is not hard if you know what you are looking for but the raspy voice is indicative of a drake. Hens have a loud barking quack while drakes sound more like croaking frogs. I think there may be some voice recordings online somewhere if you have never heard the difference.

 

[IGmom]

At what age do the drakes get their color?