Rescuing mallard duckling

[Lin97588]

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

Aww! I love that you still get to see her in the flock around the neighborhood… and she found a mate. Such a sweet story. Keep us updated!

It’s been two weeks since mine girls joined their flock, but I’ve see them every day fly just after sunset. I have a feeling once spring comes around, there’s going to be other duckies to look after lol.

 

[Bubblesduck]

Hi,

It’s been 6 weeks since my family took in a baby mallard (looked to be about 1-2 days). We found her parents roaming around our place and let the duckling go to them but they tried to snap at her neck. So, we took her back into the house.

We tried looking up duck rescues around our area but none were willing to take her in (mallards aren’t protected in my country).

Unfortunately, no one in my area was selling any ducklings for me to get her some siblings.

The duckling has imprinted on me and thankfully I’m working from home and am able to keep her company.

She’s healthy and happily forages in the backyard (with my company). She has a constant supply of duck pellets but prefers foraging. She also has a kiddie pool set up but prefers the bath for swims. She roams freely around the house and at night I put her in a playpen next to my bed.

She has started to fly and I’m wondering what is the best step for her. We were thinking of setting up an outdoor enclosure where she can settle in for the night but during the day, let her roam where she pleases. There is a pond down the road from me and I’ve seen a lot of mallards there so she might end up flying there.

If you have any advice on what I should do, please let me know.

I don’t know why every post has to go into a lengthy discourse on legality…seriously, just answer the question-

The answer is this - most hand raised rescued (or even intentionally hatched) mallards will eventually fly away and do well in the wild, especially if they near a suitable habitat and other wild mallards.

A mallard, even imprinted on a human, will maintain the attraction to the person until it is fully mature (meaning able to fly). Then one day, it will likely quack goodbye when outside and fly away. The mallards instinct is very strong and if there are other ducks nearby it will either join their flock or simply follow their lead.

 

[Lin97588]

I don’t know why every post has to go into a lengthy discourse on legality…seriously, just answer the question-

The answer is this - most hand raised rescued (or even intentionally hatched) mallards will eventually fly away and do well in the wild, especially if they near a suitable habitat and other wild mallards.

A mallard, even imprinted on a human, will maintain the attraction to the person until it is fully mature (meaning able to fly). Then one day, it will likely quack goodbye when outside and fly away. The mallards instinct is very strong and if there are other ducks nearby it will either join their flock or simply follow their lead.

True! I have watched our two hens happily splash around in their flock of 23 since they left. I still watch them fly every day after sunset, but I was unsure if they’d ever come back and visit. They have definitely moved on with their new friends. But we do get quacked at here and there when they fly over the house. Maybe one day they will come visit.

Original poster - any update on Zazu?? Has she come home or is she settling in with her flock?

 

[L_259]

True! I have watched our two hens happily splash around in their flock of 23 since they left. I still watch them fly every day after sunset, but I was unsure if they’d ever come back and visit. They have definitely moved on with their new friends. But we do get quacked at here and there when they fly over the house. Maybe one day they will come visit.

Original poster - any update on Zazu?? Has she come home or is she settling in with her flock?

Zazu hasn’t come back but we see her with her flock almost everyday (her mate always sticking close by her). She has the most distinctive quack which makes it easy to identify her. Oftentimes when she’s flying overhead or hears us we’ll hear those quacks.

A couple of days ago we counted 11 ducks in the flock. They were chilling on the lawn of our neighbours opposite us. It also looks like new additions will be joining the flock soon. We saw a mama duck with 8 ducklings by the reserve.

We are incredibly happy that Zazu is able to integrate back into the wild and is accepted by a flock.

Here are some pics from a couple of days ago (she’s the small one in the front looking in our direction).

 

[Lin97588]

I still think of your little Zazu. Any sign of her? Did the flock stick around this season? I miss our girls terribly, but have enjoyed watching all the new ducks visiting the lake.

 

[L_259]

I still think of your little Zazu. Any sign of her? Did the flock stick around this season? I miss our girls terribly, but have enjoyed watching all the new ducks visiting the lake.

Aww that’s very sweet of you! The flock seems to be sticking around this season. They’ve grown in size and seem to waddle around in trios. Come night time they’re all together in front of a neighbours lawn (about 20 ducks).

Zazu still responds to her name with quacks but she doesn’t approach us anymore. I guess this is for the best and we’re glad her animal instincts are kicking in. She has yet to come for a visit so we’ve packed all her toys away and donated her food.

Have you had any luck spotting your girls around the lake?

 

[mikeytron]

Hello!

Have been Google searching and I am glad I stumbled upon your thread.

I have 4 female mallards that we have been raising since boxing day.

Their mother was intentionally killed by a motorist, so we took them in - I'm pretty sure they were only a few days old at the time.

They are unable to fly just yet, but are very close - constantly doing low fly-bys of our rabbit.

We live in an urban area with a large back yard. Too many roads nearby, so not suitable for adult ducks, but there are several duck ponds and reserves near.

They don't want to be handled, and I have tried to keep my distance, but they will run into my house and harrass me for their morning peas. They spend the days foraging in the garden for insects and seeds.

I am thinking of releasing them near other ducks in the next few days, and perhaps dropping off some food every couple of days as they adjust to full-time foraging.

I've read elsewhere that rescued ducklings have little chance of survival in the wild, but the only other option at the time was try to find a rescue centre (they were all full) or euthanasia, so we decided to at least give them a chance at normal duck life.

Zazu's story gives me hope!

 

[Bubblesduck]

That’s not true that they won’t survive in the wild if raised by humans - mallards are the opposite in fact - for example, if you buy a mallard duckling and hand raise it, it is still more than likely that one day the duck will quack at you and fly away…just raise them until they are able to fly…and they will fly away…of course it’s better if you live in the suburbs ..,if you live in downtown Philadelphia or NYC…I would suggest moving them to someone in the suburbs.

 

[Luv Ducks]

That’s not true that they won’t survive in the wild if raised by humans - mallards are the opposite in fact - for example, if you buy a mallard duckling and hand raise it, it is still more than likely that one day the duck will quack at you and fly away…just raise them until they are able to fly…and they will fly away…of course it’s better if you live in the suburbs ..,if you live in downtown Philadelphia or NYC…I would suggest moving them to someone in the suburbs.

I agree totally as over the years I have sold some of my Mallard ducklings from my domestic ducks from Metzer farms. I have had people let me know that once they were old enough to fly, they flew the coop never to be seen again. Right now there is a domestic Rouen duck that has stayed on a pond all winter here in Ohio even when it was 8 below 0 and the middle of the pond still had water in it. She has survived all winter where someone dumped her or the owners just let her live on it. Good luck with your Mallards, I am sure they will do just fine no matter where they are going.

 

[Lin97588]

Aww that’s very sweet of you! The flock seems to be sticking around this season. They’ve grown in size and seem to waddle around in trios. Come night time they’re all together in front of a neighbours lawn (about 20 ducks).

Zazu still responds to her name with quacks but she doesn’t approach us anymore. I guess this is for the best and we’re glad her animal instincts are kicking in. She has yet to come for a visit so we’ve packed all her toys away and donated her food.

Have you had any luck spotting your girls around the lake?

Aww I love that you still get to see Zazu! I wonder if she will come back around for a visit in the spring? You’ll have to keep us posted.

After two months of a frozen lake, the duck flock is back on the edges where it’s starting to melt. We have been looking with binoculars and think we see one of our hens with two drakes. Regardless, looking forward to seeing the flock again and possibly some ducklings in the near future.