Rescuing mallard duckling

[Ecarroll]

It breaks my heart knowing that the other ducks could be harming her. Unfortunately, the only way I can protect her is when she’s home. If I could have it my way, she’d be home 24/7 but she’s a little free spirited one. I also don’t want to clip her wings considering she’s still a wild mallard.

We are planning on keeping her for as long as she’ll have us.

Her routine typically involves waking up, having breakfast, going for a swim, and then she’s off flying. She’s been going for full days and waddling back into the house at 8:30pm (just after sunset). I’m wondering if she thinks this is a hotel lol.

We tried the outdoor enclosure but when we put her in she was constantly quacking. I felt bad, and let her out and she ran into the house. So, we’re keeping her in the house overnight.

Here are a couple of pics of her in bed and on her morning walk today before she flew off.

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“I’m wondering if she thinks this is a hotel lol.”
Just like a teenager

 

[L_259]

It was getting late last night when Zazu didn’t show up. So, we decided to take a stroll through the neighbourhood. We came by a house with ducks on their front lawn. Zazu was among them and quacked when she saw us.

She started to follow behind us with two other drakes also waddling behind her. One of the drakes (the middle one) seemed quite possessive of her. When the other drake got too close to Zazu he would chase him off. Another drake also flew in and both drakes chased that drake off.

We eventually made it home and the other drake ended up flying off, leaving only Zazu and the drake. I brought some duck pellets, water, and mealworms out for them. Surprisingly, they seemed to be getting along until the drake tried eating the mealworms. Zazu would peck him when he was getting close to the treats and he would back off.

We left them to it and headed back inside. After about an hour Zazu came waddling back inside.

 

[Luv Ducks]

It breaks my heart knowing that the other ducks could be harming her. Unfortunately, the only way I can protect her is when she’s home. If I could have it my way, she’d be home 24/7 but she’s a little free spirited one. I also don’t want to clip her wings considering she’s still a wild mallard.

We are planning on keeping her for as long as she’ll have us.

Her routine typically involves waking up, having breakfast, going for a swim, and then she’s off flying. She’s been going for full days and waddling back into the house at 8:30pm (just after sunset). I’m wondering if she thinks this is a hotel lol.

We tried the outdoor enclosure but when we put her in she was constantly quacking. I felt bad, and let her out and she ran into the house. So, we’re keeping her in the house overnight.

Here are a couple of pics of her in bed and on her morning walk today before she flew off.

View attachment 3981373
View attachment 3981374

That's wonderful that you have been able to tame her so well. A lot of times Mallards are sort of off standish so you have done really well with her. She is beautiful and looks a lot like mine.

 

[DaringDucks]

I am following Zazu's story like it's some episodic TV drama. I'd rather hear more about her than watch most movies haha! I think it's hilarious that she is a foodie over her boyfriend!

 

[L_259]

Zazu has officially joined a flock

Thursday evening she flew off and didn’t return home. I went down Friday evening to the house she was chilling at previously and there she was with her friends.

She quacked but didn’t follow us home. We continued leaving food and water out on our lawn but none was consumed (except for the food eaten by the birds).

In the mornings, we would see her fly around and she’d quack when she was above our place.

Today, we went for another walk and found Zazu with her flock. She seems to have integrated well with the other wild mallards.

I called out her name as they were flying above and caught the moment when they descended. She still responds to her name with quacking which is awesome!

In the evening they seem to chill just up from our reserve, under the trees. The neighbours have told us that their cats don’t seem to bother the ducks. Surprisingly, on our walk we saw a cat sleeping close by the ducks and neither of them seemed to care about the others existence.

Thankfully, where I live, there’s not many predators other than cats and dogs that could harm the ducks.

I will be sure to update if Zazu comes for a visit or if there are any ducklings in the future

 

[L_259]

Thought I’d add some pics of her over the past couple of months

 

[Ecarroll]

Zazu has officially joined a flock

Thursday evening she flew off and didn’t return home. I went down Friday evening to the house she was chilling at previously and there she was with her friends.

She quacked but didn’t follow us home. We continued leaving food and water out on our lawn but none was consumed (except for the food eaten by the birds).

In the mornings, we would see her fly around and she’d quack when she was above our place.

Today, we went for another walk and found Zazu with her flock. She seems to have integrated well with the other wild mallards.

I called out her name as they were flying above and caught the moment when they descended. She still responds to her name with quacking which is awesome!

In the evening they seem to chill just up from our reserve, under the trees. The neighbours have told us that their cats don’t seem to bother the ducks. Surprisingly, on our walk we saw a cat sleeping close by the ducks and neither of them seemed to care about the others existence.

Thankfully, where I live, there’s not many predators other than cats and dogs that could harm the ducks.

I will be sure to update if Zazu comes for a visit or if there are any ducklings in the future View attachment 3984141View attachment 3984142View attachment 3984143

Good luck zazu!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Zazu has officially joined a flock

Thursday evening she flew off and didn’t return home. I went down Friday evening to the house she was chilling at previously and there she was with her friends.

She quacked but didn’t follow us home. We continued leaving food and water out on our lawn but none was consumed (except for the food eaten by the birds).

In the mornings, we would see her fly around and she’d quack when she was above our place.

Today, we went for another walk and found Zazu with her flock. She seems to have integrated well with the other wild mallards.

I called out her name as they were flying above and caught the moment when they descended. She still responds to her name with quacking which is awesome!

In the evening they seem to chill just up from our reserve, under the trees. The neighbours have told us that their cats don’t seem to bother the ducks. Surprisingly, on our walk we saw a cat sleeping close by the ducks and neither of them seemed to care about the others existence.

Thankfully, where I live, there’s not many predators other than cats and dogs that could harm the ducks.

I will be sure to update if Zazu comes for a visit or if there are any ducklings in the future View attachment 3984141View attachment 3984142View attachment 3984143

Beautiful pictures of her and her new friends.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thought I’d add some pics of her over the past couple of months
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Such Sweet Photos of Her!!!

 

[DaringDucks]

Fly high, little Zazu