Teal can they be farmed for release as game ?

[matt fieldcrafter-uk]

Hi fellas a good friend of mine and a member of pigeon watch have just taken delivery of 100 day old ducklings .

I'm playing no part in this other than there at my house and will be until release on the lake .

 

If I was to organise everything for future years would it be possible to farm teal and release them as game for wetland ?

I'm assuming it would be very difficult or impossible as nobody does it ?

Can anyone explain why that is ?

All the best, matt

Edited May 6, 2013 by matt . simmons

[markm]

I am sure they are reared by waterfowl breeders, there are a number of different strains around the world. I would have thought they would be to wild to hold or they may not breed in captivity in the numbers needed therefore would not be cost effective.

 

Mallard, lay large clutches so become economical, plus some mallard are semi domesticated.

[Kes]

i havent heard of teal being reared either but then wild stocks are quite high. I suppose its down to need and as has been said economics of breeding. We have chickens and cant eat all the eggs so give them away.

So if you like teal and arent worried about returns per pound spent then, in a 'wild' pen and eggs reared under a broody to produce your stock, it might be possible but on any sort of commercial scale - i doubt it.

[Penelope]

Charles Grisdale in Wales used to rear species other than Mallard for shooting. Green Winged Teal are known to be shy and nervous when kept in captivity.

i havent heard of teal being reared either but then wild stocks are quite high. I suppose its down to need and as has been said economics of breeding. We have chickens and cant eat all the eggs so give them away.

So if you like teal and arent worried about returns per pound spent then, in a 'wild' pen and eggs reared under a broody to produce your stock, it might be possible but on any sort of commercial scale - i doubt it.

[matt fieldcrafter-uk]

Thank you gents . It might take a few years to make it happen the

[Teal]

I know a game farmer who has a few Teal and I think sells them, just to water parks and hobbyists though, I just remember him saying to keep an eye out in case one had slipped in with some mallards we bought (it hadn't) he's in Ireland though.

 

IMO reared and domestic mallard are one of the biggest threats to our native mallard population in terms of their gene-pool. I also imagine that unless you clip the wings of any reared Teal (rendering them useless for shooting) - they would very quickly clear off and not return, unlike the typical shoot mallard which will happily quack about amidst disturbance all season and is a totally different proposition to a wild-strain mallard.

[matt fieldcrafter-uk]

Surly people capture wild ducks just fir breeding ?

It can't be that hard to collect eggs either ?

Or is the illegal ?

Maybe the trick with teal would to tame them up much more than you would ever with mallard ?

Iv found a breeder and sent an email to enquire about some Eurasian teal ducklings , I await a response .

Thanks for taking the time to respond its great to learn from more experienced folks !!

Edited May 9, 2013 by matt . simmons

[markm]

 

An old keeper I used to know who reared his own duck collected his rearing closed flock buy mixing wild mallard ( collect the eggs drom the local river and breed off them the following year) and put them with game farm stock, his opinion was you had good flying ability mixed with the lazy instinct/ hunger of farmed waterfowl.

[scotslad]

Teal is pretty spot on with wot he has said, i know some one who keeps quiet a few teal of various breeds as well as various other wildfowl but all wing clipped/brailed and in netted runs all there life

 

Think ur 2 problems with teal will be actually catching the adults in the first place they tend to be pretty wild and flighty so might struggle to lure them into catcher in the fist place.

 

2nd problem will be when u release them they will probably just clear off and not come back to the same extent as mallard do

 

It also might be illegal to catch them anyway (althou possibly ok in shooting season) i was looking throu the general licences the other nite for something different and noticed 1 for taking wild mallard eggs but was a load off conditions to it

 

How do u propose to 'tame' them up. I know some kepers feed there duck on the whistle like u do pheasants and feed them away from the pond

Also is there a reason why u want to release teal instead off mallard?