Need advice please don't judge

[postalpoultry]

There are very strict Federal Laws regarding wild waterfowl. You need to be very careful you do not place yourself in legal jeopardy. Please see the following link for more info. http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-9.pdf

Yeah just ONE MORE thing the friggin government needs to be involved in, NOT!!!! ok ok I'm not gonna get started on that (I could go on forever)
You MUST be prepared to COMMIT to the duck! You can Not divorce the duck, you can't decide "oh this is just to much trouble" when it's not so little and cute anymore. IF you commit for real, I just don't see a problem. I'm sure that is gonna get me in trouble with somebody but it's obvious you love the duck and you will probably keep it anyway. As the others said DO NOT turn him out one day after teaching him to depend on you!!!!

 

[DenverDucky]

I have 4 mallards, I am confused. Is it illegal in some places to keep them? I grew up on a lake in SC and there were tons of wild mallards. I very seldom saw many other types of ducks. There were lots of coots... We would have numerous mallard nests in our yard. My grandma would take them ice water and a little food on really hot days while they were setting. I would sometimes catch the babies once they were out on the lake, but of course I would get mercilessly flogged. We also had a lot of Canadian Geese. Never saw any of their nest in the yard though. Saw the babies, but no child should ever mess with a Canada Goose. An angry mama mallard was more than enough for my face to take. Lol.

It's not illegal to own a mallard IF its a domesticated, captive bred mallard that is properly marked by FWS's set standards. It's illegal to own a wild mallard in the US.

 

[new duck mom]

Hey everyone!!!! What have I missed? Well my duck babies are getting huge! Haven't been on in a few days. Feed store got like 20 ducklings in for sale that look just like the one j found, told them my concerns about it being wild are not, the said stop stressing about it. So I did. He's loving it here. Both of them are. But I'm kinda not sure about the names because now I like Arthur and Lancelot .

 

[new duck mom]

Yeah just ONE MORE thing the friggin government needs to be involved in, NOT!!!! ok ok I'm not gonna get started on that (I could go on forever)
 You MUST be prepared to COMMIT to the duck! You can Not divorce the duck, you can't decide "oh this is just to much trouble" when it's not so little and cute anymore. IF you commit for real, I just don't see a problem. I'm sure that is gonna get me in trouble with somebody but it's obvious you love the duck and you will probably keep it anyway. As the others said DO NOT turn him out one day after teaching him to depend on you!!!!

Thank you for writing that!!! I agree and dnt get me started on all that either appreciate your advice!

 

[desertdarlene]

So, when are you going to post more pictures of your ducklings?

 

[new duck mom]

I hope this works. I tried a min ago

 

[new duck mom]

It didnt put the pic. Ahh I don't understand how this works

 

[jak2002003]

Keep it! It will have a lovely life with you and the other duck.

What good would sending the thing to a wildlife place to put back into the wild? Then the let it out, it flies off and gets shot by a hunter and eaten.

Duck have so many ducklings because most of them get eaten by predators and only a small percentage survive.

Likely, even if the duckling was living a natural life with its mum and other ducklings it would have ended up as some creatures dinner by now.

Mallards are not exactly an endangered species!

I am against people stealing animals from the wild - that is obviously very wrong - but to rescue a lone duckling of a common species that will be very happy in captivity is no crime.

If you keep him in the garden with you other duck then he can just fly away in the future if he decided to go back to the wild. If he is free range and fully able to fly then no one can take him off you because you can say he is not captive.

 

[Quack Addict]

Yes of course by all means listen to all the "great advice" you're getting here. Only good things can come from breaking federal law and posting about it on a public forum.

 

[newfoundland]

I think we can all agree that there is a huge difference between stealing wild animals and keeping them against their will and nature and rescuing a wild animal that would otherwise have died. Your little duck chose you and has been happy to make his home with you. No one could ever doubt the sincerity of your aim to raise the little duck and care for him. What I say is Enjoy!