Surviving Minnesota!

[Violetsfeathers]

If you are talking wild duck eggs, I would suggest you consider them a loss and put them back.

I know what your heart wants to do, but I am not sure you want your pocketbook to take the hit that will occur if you get caught with a wild duck.   I believe you need a state game farm license and federal waterfowl permits to even have them.


I would not contact the warden, I would just put the eggs back and let the skunk or whatever have them.  I am not saying this because of my extreme dislike of waterfowl, I am saying this out of concern for you and the legal problems that could ensue if you hatch them. I believe just possessing the eggs can be a hefty fine.

The person I gave my duck egg to, that hatched, raised it with her chickens an when it was old enough it flew away.. I think it was a mallard.
If you tell the game warden you have the eggs I don't think they'll fine you because you told them. I once told them I had a young Robin with a hurt leg, I wanted them to take it and fix it, they suggested I put it down.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

@Violetsfeathers game wardens make calls all the time about things that are legal and illegal-- whether they want to pursue broken laws or not. One mallard chick versus a nest of eggs. A young girl versus a young adult man. The law is the law however and I can imagine that pulling wild eggs from a nest is not a good call. Another broody mallard hen may have taken over that nest possibly or the eggs as Ralphie says becomes a meal for momma skunk or racoon. That is nature. And not really for us to interfere sometimes no matter how cruel it is.

 

[holm25]

I hate to say it but I agree with Ralph. Its a bad idea keeping those eggs.


Chainsaw may I ask where in MN you are located?

 

[NathanZee]

@chainsawduck

In my opinion, if you call the game warden and tell them how you found the mother was dead, and that you are incubating the eggs, I doubt they would fine you or get you in trouble. At the worst they may tell you to give them the eggs. Although it is illegal to take eggs off a nest, most wardens are common sense people and know when the law applies, and I believe in this case they would prefer to save the eggs.

Also, if the eggs are from a Mallard, you wouldn't need a permit to raise them, but the law doesn't let you take Mallard eggs or ducklings.

 

[holm25]

@chainsawduck


In my opinion, if you call the game warden and tell them how you found the mother was dead, and that you are incubating the eggs, I doubt they would fine you or get you in trouble. At the worst they may tell you to give them the eggs. Although it is illegal to take eggs off a nest, most wardens are common sense people and know when the law applies, and I believe in this case they would prefer to save the eggs.

Also, if the eggs are from a Mallard, you wouldn't need a permit to raise them, but the law doesn't let you take Mallard eggs or ducklings. 

Ok... This is most likely false. They work for the government (they do dont they?)and the government wants our money. SO unless there is a really nice warden by them u r probably going to get fined.

 

[I Love Layers]

@duluthralphie
You'd be so proud of me!!
Today we released my 2 male Pekins into the creek

See if they're there tomorrow morning if they are I will put the Black Swedish down there too

 

[holm25]

@duluthralphie
You'd be so proud of me!!
Today we released my 2 male Pekins into the creek

See if they're there tomorrow morning if they are I will put the Black Swedish down there too

Is the creekon your property? Will u still be feeding them? Why would u just leave them alone? I'm sorry but I hate when people do that. Why not just butcher them?

 

[I Love Layers]

Is the creekon your property? Will u still be feeding them? Why would u just leave them alone? I'm sorry but I hate when people do that. Why not just butcher them?

Yes it's like 200 feet from the coop. They will be fed every night when they come back up to come sleep in the yard. They will most likely be butchered before the winter.
And they were bound to find it eventually, sometimes they would go to the bridge and look down at the creek.
The 2 pekin drakes are very aggressive to my Rouen duck. They pulled the hide off the neck of my other Rouen and killed her, so its somewhere for them to go during the day especially on the warm days.
And our dog is down there watching them right now

 

[duluthralphie]

@chainsawduck

In my opinion, if you call the game warden and tell them how you found the mother was dead, and that you are incubating the eggs, I doubt they would fine you or get you in trouble. At the worst they may tell you to give them the eggs. Although it is illegal to take eggs off a nest, most wardens are common sense people and know when the law applies, and I believe in this case they would prefer to save the eggs.

Also, if the eggs are from a Mallard, you wouldn't need a permit to raise them, but the law doesn't let you take Mallard eggs or ducklings.

Nathan Believe me when I tell you are way off base on this. If the eggs are from Wild Mallards you cannot possess them, raising them is possessing them. It is illegal to feed wild game animals. Ducks are game. I am pretty well acquainted with the laws and Game wardens, judges, prosecutors and the entire system.

The safest thing to do is put them back. Your "pretty sure" is not an absolute. Putting them back is by far a better bet.

Also the reason for leaving young animals/eggs and nests alone is just as I said. The wildlife managers know a nest of eggs. or young duck, animals of any kind are not going to make it. However, taking them and trying to save them means another animal has to die to feed the predators. If you leave the one bound to die out there, you might be saving the life of one that has a chance to life with a parent.

 

[KlopKlop]

Nathan  Believe me when I  tell you are way off base on this.   If the eggs are from Wild Mallards you cannot possess them, raising them is possessing them. It is illegal to feed wild game animals. Ducks are game. I am pretty well acquainted with the  laws and Game wardens, judges, prosecutors and the entire system.

The safest thing to do is put them back.  Your "pretty sure" is not an absolute. Putting them back is by far a better bet.

Also the reason for leaving young animals/eggs and nests alone is just as I said. The wildlife managers know a nest of eggs. or young duck, animals of any kind are not going to make it.  However, taking them and trying to save them means another animal has to die to feed the predators.   If you leave the one bound to die out there, you might be saving the life of one that has a chance to life with a parent.

It is so hard not to interviene but you shouldn't. Ralphie is right about nature.

Not trying to beat you down or berate you, but please consider this. The big question is what will be done with them if you let them hatch? There is no mama duck there to raise them in the wild and teach them how to be a wild duck. If you raise them in captivity, what is the chance they would survive when you let them go free? They may not even want to go free.

Just something to think about