Ducky has turned into a beautiful Mallard girl. It's amazing to see that they reach almost full size in only 2 month! You can't pet her, because we wanted her to stay somewhat wild. We are also not clipping her wings, because I hope she will join the wild ducks. That's where she came from originally when she ran up to me a couple of weeks ago. I did coach her to follow and to go into the duck house, but that is it. She talks a lot and know how to beg for water plants. Its hilarious at times. We have a 50 gal stock tank in her yard to swim in and she stays in it almost all day. Its about 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 16" deep. Perfect to play around in it. Two days ago she flew out of her little yard following me to the house after setting her up for the day. As soon as she was out she wanted to get back in. So I walked back calling her and she followed right back in. This morning she went for the big one after I filled her stock pond and put out food. She simply flew out and made the big loop over our big parking lot (about 150x200 feet big), and flew behind the shop and I could not find her. I put the dogs into the house just in case that they are in the taste for fresh duck meat. LOL I went back out and started to call her. She started to quack real loud calling me back. I followed the sound and she sat on top of the shop looking at me and her pen trying to figure out how to get back in. She flew down and landed in my garden walking straight back to her pen and trying to get through the 4' fence. I opened the gate and lead her back in. She is now back in her stock tank swimming. All I can say it this point she hangs around by choice, but that may change. She is doing her practice flights and may get ready to leave. I've read stories about other mallards that left. Some came back within days others never. Those that came back usually did so for the food and they usually even stay in winter. Most of them are males. Then there were females that left for the winter and came back in spring with a partner. Females have the tendency to go back to where they were born to have their offsprings. As much as I love her to stay, I really want her to go back to the wild. The only down side I see is that she is not afraid of dogs, that could be dangerous in the wild. The dogs did teach her that when they bark someone is coming down the driveway. When she was small she used to run into her cage to hide in it. Now she runs to the gate trying to figure out who it is. Nosy little duck...

Katharina