Found Baby duck

[smonkeySK]

Well, the thing I don't understand is, it was in the middle of my field. Wood ducks nest in trees, the closest trees are about 200 yards. Isn't that rather far for this little this to be out n its own?
He seems to be doing good today. I put a chunk of sod/grass in the brooder with him and sprinkled food on it hoping it would help him eat, and it did! I am having a terrible time finding a duck friend for him though.

And I called the rehab, they told me to put him back where I found him and he would find his mom...

I'm in the UK and it's the same story here if you try to get help for a wild animal.
This is why I took in a mallard duckling without prior experience of ducks! They wanted me to stick it back outside on the hottest day of the year -after we'd explained that it had been taken by a brat of a child so didn't know where it had come from...

Ah the wonders of imprinting before you can get any company for the little tyke
She's a happy well looked after duck though- so I'm glad I didn't have the heart to put her back out to cook.

And to second what many have said - try chicks for company; I've had success with lone domestic ducklings this way - though by the time I had chicks to introduce to the first wild duck, it was seriously hostile towards them; she was only about a week old at that point too.
Give it a whirl though as it doesn't hurt to try!

 

[Fancychooklady]

This one is even better !

 

[nayeli]

This footage explains it all.

http://www.arkive.org/wood-duck/aix-sponsa/video-09a.html

http://wildtones.com/blog/tag/birding/

I'm surprised they don't get hurt!

 

[desertdarlene]

You can try finding a mama wood duck with ducklings his age and see if she will accept him. Thing is, the window for doing this is about two or three days and it might be too late.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I'm surprised they don't get hurt!

It makes you wonder how your little guy broke its ankle when you see these little ones bouncing off the forest floor. This little one may have simply been a late hatcher and momma made the hard decision to sacrifice one to save the flock. I've reared 4 x wild ducklings and all have returned to the river without incident.
I can honestly say that apart from supplying a wading pool , their needs are much the same as chicks.

 

[nayeli]

It makes you wonder how your little guy broke its ankle when you see these little ones bouncing off the forest floor. This little one may have simply been a late hatcher and momma made the hard decision to sacrifice one to save the flock. I've reared 4 x wild ducklings and all have returned to the river without incident.
I can honestly say that apart from supplying a wading pool , their needs are much the same as chicks.

Yeah that was exactly my thought actually LOL

 

[ZoeS95423]

They really said that? I find that amazing. especially after they have all been gone for more than 24 hrs. 

They told me that if it was in that area, that is where the nest is, so mama and babies should be around. I told them it was a wood duck, and they claimed since I found it in a field it was not. It had to be a mallard.
The girl I spoke yo sounded young, and like she didn't really care or know anything.. I asked to speak to someone else, and when I asked that person, and made a complaint about the other girl, I guess she is an intern, and new.

Well if she is new she shouldny be answering questions she doesn't know the answers to or giving what I would think is invalid information...
The other person, his name was Dave was very helpful! Although they have no way to get my baby from me to them...
He is the one who told me to try the sod in the brooder, since I don't have a secure outdoor one for a bird so tiny.
This is because as a wild duck it has foraging instincts, or may have already learned some.
He also mentioned putting it in with other babies to teach it to eat/drink.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yeah that was exactly my thought actually LOL

Did you take a look at the one on post 22?

 

[ZoeS95423]

You can try finding a mama wood duck with ducklings his age and see if she will accept him.  Thing is, the window for doing this is about two or three days and it might be too late.

I don't even know where to look.
I have never seen a wood duck on any of my property. Not even flying over. I will go out and take a walk around the perimeter and see if I can find anything.

 

[Fancychooklady]

They told me that if it was in that area, that is where the nest is, so mama and babies should be around. I told them it was a wood duck, and they claimed since I found it in a field it was not. It had to be a mallard.
The girl I spoke yo sounded young, and like she didn't really care or know anything.. I asked to speak to someone else, and when I asked that person, and made a complaint about the other girl, I guess she is an intern, and new.

Well if she is new she shouldny be answering questions she doesn't know the answers to or giving what I would think is invalid information...
The other person, his name was Dave was very helpful! Although they have no way to get my baby from me to them...
He is the one who told me to try the sod in the brooder, since I don't have a secure outdoor one for a bird so tiny.
This is because as a wild duck it has foraging instincts, or may have already learned some.
He also mentioned putting it in with other babies to teach it to eat/drink.

There are plenty of volunteers that don't necessarily have the answers. She probably meant well. Your little guy needs heat . If you pop it in with chicks it will be kept warm as well.