Wild mallards need to be placed with a wildlife rehabilitator ASAP to successfully be re-released into the wild. They need to be able to forage on their own and be placed where they will learn where to migrate with other mallards. As far as the release age, they need to have all of their permanent feathers in place, no baby fuzz/down and be able to fly.

-Bonnie

Thank you Bonnie. I have since contacted a certified rehab specialist. She suggested to continue the current set up until they are 70 days old. They are going on 8 weeks old. They have their wings, but not fully and none have been able to fly yet. They forage and swim without difficulty. I am concerned about waiting until 70 days of age to release. That seems too long to me?? Any thoughts? Thanks again!

Actually, that sounds about right to me. 8 weeks = 56 days ... so you just need to hold them for another 2 weeks.

-Bonnie

PS- you don't want to release them too early as they can't get away from predators... snapping turtles, cats, dogs, hawks, ect ... I've seen numerous baby ducks come back into rehab due to injuries.

Thanks again! We are prepared to do that based on your and other's advice. We greatly appreciate your assistance. We plan to release them in a protected reserve area with many water ways and soooo many mallards!! I think they will be very happy and safe at least at this point.
Thank you again.

I found duck nest once 2 eggs werent broken out of like 10.So I put them under a broody hen.She took care of them.I left them out every day to free range the ducks went along.At the end the two ducks took off and fly just around our house,Would come down go in chicken house.One night they took off went up to the pond.Once a year in spring they come back and go down and go in chicken house to see mom chicken.Its cute to see them waddle down go in chicken house.

i have a hen mallard would it be wise to introduce her with the other wild population flight feathers are just now forming

Wild ducks are easy to reintroduce in the wild. Just take care of them like you would free range chickens (after they have fully developed wing feathers). Let them out during the day and close them in during the night, and when they are ready the will stay out for longer and longer periods of time (sometimes days/weeks). Eventually they don't come back.

When I was younger we would have some brought to us (as found eggs or duckling) we would raise them up and let them choose if they wanted to stay or go. With few exceptions they go. We would see them about (we used colored leg bands on them) as much as 2-3 years later on a nearby pond or lake and occasionally they could come to visit us in the early spring.

Were they mating or were they fighting more like a territorial thing?

Yes, ducks are very aggressive breeders & have been known to date rape females, and yes sometimes drowning them.

Brendasue

A mallard pair laid 7 eggs in my bushes. The ducklings are now 6 to 7 weeks. They have lived between my house and a community clorinated pool. I put food out for thme regularly. They all forage in the park for bugs, worms, etc

I fear for the ducks safety because the community pool closes every time the ducks enter the water because of their droppings. I would like to relocate the entire fsmile to a safer area. A rescue livestock facility could take the family.

Unfortunately the family does not fear people because residents have feed them in the park. Help

Any sugguestions???

I would contact your local wildlife office. They would likely relocate the ducks to a safer environment. When wild ducks are fed they are more likely to stick around an area because it's an easy food source for them.

I have reared 4 mallard ducks, from 1 day old - 3 females, 1 male. They are exactly 8 weeks old today (56 days). I am keen to release them into the wild as I do not want them roosting/nesting back at my place (as much as i love them, can't cope with clearning the mess constantly in the long term!). After reading the advice, I will keep them til 80 days and release them then - if they haven't already decided to flee the nest before then ! My question is, if they do fly away on their own accord, (1)are they likely to fly to the nearest river, (its 1.5km from my house) and (2)are they likely to return to me to be housed over winter instead of flying south ? (3) If I physically took them to the river before they fly away, is it less likely they will find their way back? Any thoughts appreciated...

Hi, I’m interested in what happened to all these mallards, did they fly away themselves and visit when they wanted or did you release them somewhere, mine are 6 weeks old