Found abandoned duckling! Need advice please!

[Miss Lydia]

I’m so sorry. At least you gave her care an love. She wouldn’t have had that if she’d not been found by your dad. Keep that thought

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[Dougdilman]

 

[quackiemama]

Oh no we are all so sorry!

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry for your loss!

 

[Saigey]

Then you would be wrong. In a couple-three weeks I fully expect to be in his or her shoes with the idea of rescuing wild mallards. Because of this I've already established where the nearest wildlife rehabilitation center is so I can take them there. I did that because I want to help lost/injured/orphaned duckling but did not want to break federal laws in doing so.

While the consensus thus far seems to be that the duckling that was rescued is a domestic rouen, at the time the belief was that it was a wild mallard. The bit about the toe? That's not some evil, sadistic trickery I made up. That's what federal regulators established as the process for distinguishing between wild and domestic mallard ducks. As the OP stated their intent to keep the duckling, I gave advice about the toe-removal to help them reduce (not eliminate) the chances of getting caught doing that.

I'm assuming, because I don't know, that removing the rear toe causes no significant pain or injury to the duckling because it's something required by federal regulations. The advice I was giving to the OP was based on those regulations. I didn't write those regulations. I don't endorse them. I was simply giving the OP the best advice I could give based on them.

By the way, @2 many chickens and @DuckyDonna, you can poo-poo my advice if you want, but you're not the ones with skin in this game, are you? The OP is.

You cannot REMOVE a mallard from normal life in the wild. You CAN rescue and rehabilitate them. You can also get a band instead of trying to cut the toe off a barely alive little baby duck or have a wildlife center do it, or release the duck into the care of the wildlife center when it's healthy. I wouldn't worry about the future until the little thing is healthy and strong and you know the breed for sure.

 

[Saigey]

Okay, also she hasnt really moved her feet/toes, shes never really stretched her toes apart so I dont know what's full up with her

If you can mix a little niacin in its water (you can get it from Sprouts) that is good for their little legs and feet.

 

[Saigey]

She passed away

I'm so sorry!

 

[Saigey]

The duckling died.

I tried to hatch 3 abandoned mallard eggs, and none of them made it. It's such a sad feeling, but you helped it pass as comfortably as you could and it was not alone and scared.

 

[johntfs]

She passed away

Aw, I'm really sorry, but you clearly did the very best you could do by her.