Will my mallard ducks know what to do when I release them?

Question

A coworker asked if I could take four baby mallard ducklings. His brother works for the highway department and they were found in a sewer grate. I already have six domestic ducks, mostly khaki campbells. I took the babies.

I have them in our 100 gallon drum with water, lettuce and meal worms. They're getting bigger. When/if I decide to release them, what can I expect? Will they be hard wired to know how to make it in the wild? Will they circle back and want to stay and be pets? That's fine too. I do have one male mallard. He can fly. He always comes home because where else would he want to go?It's going to be heart wrenching to make the leap of faith and release them. Will they be okay? Or, will they fly off and starve to death?

Tarkarri · Accepted Answer

Most wildlife carers do what is called a 'soft release' in these circumstances.

When released, they are released from their normal pen with food and water being provided until they have stopped returning foor several days

Anonymous · Answer

I agree with the soft release, they may find a larger group of ducks and may
 join with them, learn from them and be fine or they may decide your home base and that’s that, They have a will fly way and may be back in days to when the weather turns and they remember food and shelter, protection and come home. If they do and bing friends home you will have to call the d,n,r to see what next.
Also call the d.n.r to see if it’s legal to release rescued ducks, weather they want them handed first etc.  usually they say do a soft release.We had momma and 8 babies we raised at work and they left when big enough and strong enough. The hens all returned next spring followed by 2 males, they had to put up a fake owl to keep them away but they did try intermittently for two yeRs then quit.My neighbors released their Easter ducks when grown, they came back in spring to rest and feed, ten years later over 300 ducks in a mixed flock of wild and domestic of several breeds would come visit and get fed.  When the people moved the ducks still come back And would wander looking for them for days.  Some neighbors bought tons of bread and fed them, we went and bought a couple hundred pounds of cracked corn, explained to the neighbors they were killing the ducks with the bread and got some commercial duck feed.  We moved the flock slowly through 4 properties to the park and got permission to leave food and water stations to get them to migrate they’re next year.  After three years the ducks still fly to the house and hang around but they will go to the park to eat and rest.  They cleaned out the water hole and arrayed it, now it’s a lovely pond rather than swamp and the birds love it there.   This started in 1965 before people thought about conservation and all, if you had an unwanted animal turn it loose to the wild.   Unfortunately people don’t seem to learn and still turn dogs and cats out but wild things should return to the wild if possible.   Thank you for the time and effort and caring to rescue them.

Anonymous · Answer

contact your local wild life centre or even a vets. I don't think they would survive in the wild. Get some advice.

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Will my mallard ducks know what to do when I release them?

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