I know it isn't a chicken . . .

[fshinggrl]

Loon babies are brown and very dull looking until they are mature. I'd say it is a duck. Good luck!

 

[Sillystunt]

i would think he feel out of his nest in a tree. he really looks like a goldeneye duck. Can you go back and look up into the tree's around the area?

 

[Dustin Biery]

I dont think it has the "golden-eye" of the goldeneye. I think it is more than likely a bafflehead, another type of wood duck closely related.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I am totally keeping the duckling, regardless of what he is . . . I've only had him a few hours and I'm hooked!

Please realize that this is a wild duck and keeping it breaks a Federal law.​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Do goldeneyes have nests in trees? Most ducks don't.

 

[americana-chick]

Definatly a common goldeneye duckling

 

[HeatherLynn]

The feeding would not necessarily be too hard. Nice sturdy kiddie pool turned into a pond and stocked. Those feeder fish breed like rabbits. We had a pied billed grebe ( think I spelled that right) that had a forced by injury visit to our duck pond and he was very happy that weekend with our little stocked pond. Worth a shot.

 

[Emzyyy]

He/She is adorable good luck with the duckling.

 

[BattleChickens]

Quote:
Well, she's either a Goldeneye or a Bufflehead, I SERIOUSLY can NOT tell the difference between your pic and this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pattybruno/711195070/ and Penelope looks just like both of those babies!!!

I am definitely keeping her, despite the questionable legality of my doing so. How could I not?!

I'm off to the yard to gather up some chickweed to feed her (she has non-medicated chick starter, too) and later I will hop on over to the lake and gather her up some soggy lake greens.

I'm hoping Tori's duckling pulls-through so she can have a buddy . . .

 

[BattleChickens]

Quote:
Feeder fish is a great idea for winter. We have access to quite a few lakes in the area (including the one where she was found), so I think as she gets older we'll try giving her some minnows. I wonder how she'd do if I caught some now and chopped them up really tiny . . .