We have been given 9 mallard ducklings to care for. A nearby farmer found the nest in his hayfield while he was mowing his hay. The mother was scared away, so he collected the eggs & put them in an incubator. They hatched a couple of days ago. He says it can be hard to raise them since they are a wild duck, but we will try to keep them alive for the 6 weeks it takes for their feathers to come in. After that they will be free to go. :-)
.
I don't have any mallards in my flock just for that reason. I have a covered pen but don't want to have to worry about them when I let them out to forage. Ducklings are always wonderful to have though. Good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteI've got some month old Indian Runners. They don't (ever) fly, but they've been super easy to raise so far! There's a section on Back Yard Chickens.com just for ducks. I'm sure you can find some helpful suggestions there!!
ReplyDelete