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Female duck and ducklings in garden

Conniewolf
19/04/2019 21:03

Hi there

Two days ago we discovered a female mallard and six ducklings in our relatively small, enclosed garden. There is no way for them to get out on their own, no gate for us to open etc. The only access is through a double length garage or the house. We called the rspb who advised to catch them and take them to nearest water (the river is less than a mile away). Unfortunately when we tried to catch the mother first as instructed she escaped leaving the ducklings behind. Amazingly after a couple of hours of her circling around overhead she tentatively came back to the garden and they are now reunited as a family again. 

We have put out two large shallow dishes of water, some porridge oats and some duck food. They frequently come out from under the hedges where they sleep, they drink and eat and look very happy and healthy at the moment. 

Our failed attempt at catching and moving them has me worried to try again for fear of losing the mother and having six orphaned ducklings. How essential is is that they get to a proper place with water soon?

Thanks for any advice.

Sara

  • 0 07/05/2019 11:56

    I have the same problem! Mother and 12 ducklings apeared yesterday. We are about 1/2 mile from water where the ducks live. We hve no water in the garden and like you no way out of the garden. We had a female and 5 chicks last year but eventually only two then suddenly they disapeared along with the female. Can only presume the crows got the babies and she flew away. We now have an 11 month old spaniel who we cant let out in the garden as he goes frantic when he sees them! Nobody seems to want to help! I am retired and have been for 8 years so have no hope of catching them and taking them to water! I just want them gone!!

  • 0 07/05/2019 15:59
    Thank you Dave. Have tried Rspca local wildlife etc but not interested. Magpie took another one today. So sad! Hope it wont become an annnual event but at least with that in mind it may encourage us to get the garden sorted!!
  • 0 15/07/2022 08:26
    We also had a Mallard duck lay nine eggs in our walled garden with no way out over the twelve foot high walls. We made a makeshift 'pond' so she had somewhere to take the ducklings when they hatched (on the 9th May 22). One egg didn't hatch but the remaining eight did. However, after the first week she had only three left so we decided to protect the remaining three. Mother duck wasn't too keen on our frisky dog but the chicks didn't seem to mind him at all and still don't even though he chases them now and again, but they just fly off ..... then come back! About two weeks ago Mother duck flew off with one of the, now adult sized, ducklings leaving two behind, Mum and duckling are on a pond about a quarter of a mile away in a field. We thought she would come back for the other two but she hasn't even though we still see her and her duckling on the pond when we take the dog for a walk. The remaining two can fly and often do fly out but come back again and seem to be setting up permanent residence in our garden! Might she come back for them, should we catch them and take them to the pond or should we just leave them in the hope the call of the wild will attract them. We did feed them initially but for the past month they have been left to themselves to forage for food. We don't mind them living with us but would prefer they went away and just came back for a visit now and again!