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View Full Version : Mallard nesting in garden-anyone BTDT?


golightly1118
05-09-2011, 11:26 AM
A couple of days ago, I went out to pull a weed in our garden and noticed a mallard had built her nest in there. She's in the corner between the house and our chimney, so she's well-hidden. Anyone have any experience with this? I don't mind her being there-I don't garden much-and I set out a water dish for her. I don't really want to put out food, because a. she seems to leave a couple of times a day to eat and b. the last thing I want to do is draw a raccoon over near her.
caheinz
05-09-2011, 11:44 AM
We have a duck this year, too! She's not in the back yard, which is good, since we have a big dog who wouldn't tolerate it. But she's in a very hidden place in a little-used side yard...

One thing that confuses me is that there's no standing water nearby. I'm not sure how she could get the ducklings to the nearest water body (several streets away).
Tondi G
05-09-2011, 12:16 PM
We have a duck this year, too! She's not in the back yard, which is good, since we have a big dog who wouldn't tolerate it. But she's in a very hidden place in a little-used side yard...

One thing that confuses me is that there's no standing water nearby. I'm not sure how she could get the ducklings to the nearest water body (several streets away).

she will make the trek to the water a few blocks away... and sadly might lose some babies along the way. A few ducks have come back year after year at my DH's work and they have lost some babies to crows and cars sadly. one nice thing they do for the ducks is they stop putting the chemicals in their fountain so the ducks can swim .... it's gets icky and green but they aren't there for too long and eventually everyone flies away! Baby ducks are SO cute!
Cam&Clay
05-09-2011, 12:17 PM
You're going to be an aunt! I happen to think that there's nothing cuter than a baby duck.
caheinz
05-09-2011, 01:05 PM
she will make the trek to the water a few blocks away... and sadly might lose some babies along the way. A few ducks have come back year after year at my DH's work and they have lost some babies to crows and cars sadly. one nice thing they do for the ducks is they stop putting the chemicals in their fountain so the ducks can swim .... it's gets icky and green but they aren't there for too long and eventually everyone flies away! Baby ducks are SO cute!

We have ducks regularly at work in the retention ponds across the street from my building.

An interesting (but not necessarily fun) summer diversion is to count the chicks and see the number go down over the course of the summer...
Indianamom2
05-09-2011, 04:25 PM
About 4 years ago, we had a pair of mallards (male and female) decide to adopt our pool. They would stroll around and sleep on the deck and swim in the pool (not-working-at-that point-in-the-season and no chemicals). I never saw a nest though and they eventually left.

How fun to have baby ducklings!