Is it legal to take a baby duck from a public pond?

[Roosters110]

Actually a lot of waterfowl can not migrate nor fly.When I hear domestic breeds I’m thinking of the ones we keep in our backyards,which many domestic breeds can’t fly. Are

Are you an ornithologist? Taking one duckling from its mother isn't going to help native species. And most waterfowl are migratory. You're not doing anything here but going onto property that isn't yours and taking an animal from its family unit that isn't yours. Hatcheries are what they say: they raise their own breeding stock, collect their eggs, then hatch them for sale. They're not trafficking kidnapped ducklings.

Do it right or don't do it.

There are public lakes, ponds, and rivers near me that have a few domestic breeds of waterfowl. One pond in particular is very over populated. Would it be legal to go during chick season and get whichever breed I want? Would I have to call the park that the body of water belongs to and ask if they were being cared for before taking some in?

you sure someone doesn’t own the ducks?

 

[The Moonshiner]

They may be domestic breeds but they're still not yours.
It may be public property but that doesn't make it your property to do with or take from as you please.
Saw an Angus calf in the road the other day on my way to work.
Its a public road and a domestic cow but that doesn't give me the right to take it home as my own.

 

[Pigpie]

It's not wildlife though, that's why I am confused about whether it's ok or not. They are domestic breeds that are not indigenous, and compete with wild native breeds for resources.

Glad that you think you will fix the "overpopulation" problem, awfully naive of you to decide to take that matter into your own hands by stealing a single baby duckling from his mother Your reasoning on why you'd consider such a thing is absurd. If you want a duck buy one. If you can't afford one you shouldn't have it anyway because you have to feed them. Since they are the "domesticated" ducks that you want as you stated makes no sense you wouldn't buy a couple of ducklings of your choice like most other people

 

[The Moonshiner]

I get what the OP is saying.
Idiots here do it too. They get domestic ducks, get tired of them then dump them in city parks or on any body of water.
I was just raised to not take things that don't belong to me.
It's simple just ask whoever is in charge of where they are and see what they say. They may very well say go ahead.

 

[Teila]

I am in Aus so I have no idea if it is legal or not but I do not think it is the ‘right’ thing to do.

Do you have experience raising ducklings?

How do you intend to catch it? What precautions would you take to not injure it? Are you prepared to put it through and treat it for shock?

I do not think it would be fair on the duckling or it’s mother to put them through that kind of stress. Imagine yourself as one of those predators all chicken and duck owners fear because that is what you would be in the eyes of the ducklings mum, a predator picking off one of her babies

In answer to “where do you think they would get the duckling I buy at a hatchery from?" I doubt sincerely that the hatchery is picking up it’s stock at the local public pond but more likely from their own breeding program and that of registered breeders.

 

[CorvusFarm]

Actually a lot of waterfowl can not migrate nor fly.When I hear domestic breeds I’m thinking of the ones we keep in our backyards,which many domestic breeds can’t fly. Are


you sure someone doesn’t own the ducks?

Sorry, I should have clarified that I was referring to the comment about helping the native, wild species. That was what I was thinking of as migratory.

 

[GoofyNewt]

I get what the OP is saying.
Idiots here do it too. They get domestic ducks, get tired of them then dump them in city parks or on any body of water.
I was just raised to not take things that don't belong to me.
It's simple just ask whoever is in charge of where they are and see what they say. They may very well say go ahead.

That's exactly the problem, they are people's unwanted ducks that have been abandoned at the local ponds and lakes. I will be asking about whether I would be able to take a few though.

 

[GoofyNewt]

Glad that you think you will fix the "overpopulation" problem, awfully naive of you to decide to take that matter into your own hands by stealing a single baby duckling from his mother Your reasoning on why you'd consider such a thing is absurd. If you want a duck buy one. If you can't afford one you shouldn't have it anyway because you have to feed them. Since they are the "domesticated" ducks that you want as you stated makes no sense you wouldn't buy a couple of ducklings of your choice like most other people

I don't like your nasty attitude. I don't remember saying I was only willing to get a single duckling, and I never said I wasn't open to the idea of buying from a hatchery. Why would I buy from a hatchery when I could help rescue abandoned ducklings. You know that cities will deal with over population of duck ponds by killing them right? So it's not as if I'm being a monster by trying to help out the situation even a little bit by giving a few ducklings a chance to actually live a nice life.

 

[GoofyNewt]

I am in Aus so I have no idea if it is legal or not but I do not think it is the ‘right’ thing to do.

Do you have experience raising ducklings?

How do you intend to catch it? What precautions would you take to not injure it? Are you prepared to put it through and treat it for shock?

I do not think it would be fair on the duckling or it’s mother to put them through that kind of stress. Imagine yourself as one of those predators all chicken and duck owners fear because that is what you would be in the eyes of the ducklings mum, a predator picking off one of her babies

In answer to “where do you think they would get the duckling I buy at a hatchery from?" I doubt sincerely that the hatchery is picking up it’s stock at the local public pond but more likely from their own breeding program and that of registered breeders.

When I said where do you think they get the ones from a hatchery from I was referring to the comment about stealing from the duck mother.

 

[Teila]

When I said where do you think they get the ones from a hatchery from I was referring to the comment about stealing from the duck mother.

Ah, OK, sorry about that, I misread ... however, the hatcheries are more likely to be raising them in an incubator/brooder not under a broody duck.

If you do go ahead, please do think very carefully about how you intend to catch them. As I mentioned, injuries, shock or stress are a huge potential and you may end up doing more harm than good.