Mallard Ducks

I'm also no expert, but I believe mallards move their chicks to water within minutes of the last egg hatching - giving the chicks just enough time to dry off before she does. They never leave them in the nest longer than this as far as I know. I hope she does lead them to one of your ponds. How lovely for you.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

Thanks for the Welcome Sparrow

     Luckily the top and bottom ponds are about a foot away from the nest so getting them their shouldn't be a problem. I am just worried what happens when they get bigger and where they will sleep. I don't know whether I should build something for them to live in. My partner has already built a floating(in a fashion) Duck house which they will hopefully go into. As she has laid the eggs in my garden I feel responsible for their safety and really need a lead as to what I should do for the best. Pressureeeeeee

Apart from the stress I am really excited

Den

Hi Den,

I think the RSPB is the best bet, but meanwhile I hope they have a swim on one of your ponds - a great photo opportunity for you, and of course, I hope you post the photos on the forum and let us know how you get on with it all.

Hello Den

Hope I can help you with your pressure, we have the same  !!! the canal is at the bottom of our garden and we have mallard ducks here all the time.

I would say that she has chosen your garden because she feels safe there and I think that she intends to keep the chicks on your pond until they are ready to fly off, or maybe they will stay (more pressure !) I don't think she would march them down to the river with it being so far away, also I would not take them there because if the mother has not come from there it would be totally strange for her and she would be under pressure as to where to take her brood for safety.  Have any of your neighbours got a large pond where she could have come from ?

The floating duck house is a good idea and I would think they will use it, is it away from the bank though so that predators can't get them.   Unfortunately there are a lot of predators about, cats, foxes, crows, herons etc, that's why they have a lot of ducklings because they don't all usually survive.  One of our mallards recently had thirteen chicks but unfortunately there are now only four and the mother has abandoned them, there is a swan nesting next door but one and it attacks anything near it's nest and it has killed a lot of the ducklings, we have tried to stop it happening but we are not here all the time, so I know what you mean by pressure !  I did'nt know swans did that, the only reason we can think of is because it is protecting the food supply for it's own cygnets when they hatch out.

Anyway hope I have been of some help to you and  it all works out good for your duck, and on the plus side ducklings are really cute !  Hope you can get some pic's.

Best  Wishes

Linda

My cousin sent me this photo of a mallard nesting in a flower tub by the front door of the house. As you can see she is quite well camouflaged and no doubt felt fairly safe in this location.

I can only confirm what others have said is that as soon as the ducklings are hatched mum leads them to water. The latest report from my cousin is that they have all left the nest and headed for a stream which runs through the property.

This doesn't help with your problem I'm afraid den, but I thought you might be interested.

Thanks TeeJay

Will just have to wait and see what happens.

Den