Domestic Ducks in the Wild

Domesticated ducks can't be in the wild, they are unable to survive and harm the wild population.

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How it Happens

Sometimes people buy pets because they think they're cute and they don't do enough research to take care of them, this can happen to ducks, sad, very sad. Although ducklings are bought all year long, some people buy ducklings during Easter for their kid(s) or for themsevles, they might even dye the ducklings bright pastel colors for the holiday. This is also a problem, you can find more information about this by searching "dyed easter ducklings" or read this article, it talks about dyed Easter chicks and ducklings.

Ducks reach thier full size in about 5 weeks, by then their cuteness has worn off and the person (or people) who bought them have realized how much trouble they are to take care of. When they no longer want the duck they'll release them into the wild to take care of themselves or they're neglected and eventually die. Few are kept and taken good care of.

What Happens to the Domestic Ducks

Most duck species have been domesticated by humans and as a result they no longer have their wild instincts. Most of these ducks are also unable to fly, this could be because they're too heavy, they're feathers aren't long enough or it could be because they're muscles aren't designed for it. This means that when it gets cold they won't be able migrate.

Domestic ducks are used to being fed by humans meaning that they don't know how to find their own food. Depending on where the duck(s) were released humans might want to feed them. This is can cause the wild and domestic ducks to depend on humans more. This could cause harm to the wild ducks especially if they are being fed bread. It lacks nutritions they need while making them feel full.
Overall the domesticed ducks will most likely die, if they don't then they'll start breeding with the wild ducks.

Hybirds

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Hybirds of mallard ducks might look different then their wild counterparts, some common features that might occur are that they're larger or smaller then normal, they might also have unusual feather colors for their species. Mallards were first bred as food, this explains why they might be larger then normal. Call ducks are tiny, small and cute ducks, they were first used as decoys to hunt wild ducks.

When domestic ducks mate with wild ducks it can cause mutations in the ducks genes. As stated previously since must domestic ducks can't fly, these genes could be passed down and seriously harm the offspings chance of survival. This would make them unable to migrate to fly to the south when it's winter in the north. They need to migrate to the south to find open water and food. Mallard ducks do use their feathers as camouflage,any change in their natural feather colors could harm them. If the hybird survives and mates with other duck then it will change the gene pool, weakening it for future generations.

Duck Diseases

These fluffy (feathery?) creatures get sick like a lot of animals do, it's inevitable. They'll live... probably, the problem is that the wild ducks don't have an immunity from some sickness. The New Castle, West Nile virus, duck virus enteritis (DVE), paratyphoid, fowl cholera, bird flu, chlamydiosis and avian tuberculosis are all diseases that affect ducks and have no cure.

Duck plague, as unoriginal as it sounds is a diseases that affects ducks, swans, and geese. Duck plauge also known as DVE is a diseases that can be transmitted vertically (from breeding) or horizontally (direct contact with an infected bird), wild and domestic waterfowl often spread it to each other. DVE is highly contagious and spreads very easily. Domestic ducks have an incubation period (the time from exposure to the sickness to when the first signs of symptoms can be seen can) range form 3 to 7 days.

Most ducks will die in the first 1 to 5 days after the first clinical signs happen. Even the ducks that do survive will usually become lifelong carriers, this means that they could still spread the infection from their feces several years after. Duck plague, due to how contagious it is has had outbreaks in both wild and domestic waterfowl all around the world. Most outbreaks happen durring the spring and to early summer. While ducks from any ages can get duck plague it is the most severe in the adult ducks.

SOURCES:

The Plight of Domestic Ducks and Geese

Confusing Domestic Ducks (and Hybrids)

Duck Plague

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