Need help with orphan duckling

[Sylie]

Paper towels and a blanket and a stuffed frog lol

he may try to eat the paper towel, especially if it's damp, be careful. and I had to laugh at the stuffed frog, that is fantastic! I have a purple elephant for my babies, once they outgrow it, it gets washed and stored for the next babies.

 

[house.of.ducks]

I wasn’t sure if the baby needed grit?
I’ve been taking outside and letting him pick through dirt and such.

You should definitely go to your nearest Tractor Supply Co. or feed store and pick up some chick grit because just picking through dirt probably won’t be enough for a baby, although adults are usually pretty good at finding ther own grit, but supplementing it never hurts.

 

[Romachick71]

You should definitely go to your nearest Tractor Supply Co. or feed store and pick up some chick grit because just picking through dirt probably won’t be enough for a baby, although adults are usually pretty good at finding ther own grit, but supplementing it never hurts.

Thank you!

 

[townchicks]

I recommend you take him to a wildlife rehabber asap. They have access to vets and medications that you don't along with the knowhow to treat and raise it so that it can be released and live it's life as it was meant to, as a wild bird. What are your long term plans for this duck, if it lives? Are you going to keep it all it's life? Cause that can be a 20 year commitment. Are you going to build a run and housing and maintain a pool for it, and get it at least one companion to keep it company? Or were you planning to keep it until it's not cute anymore and dump it into the wild, without any idea how to fend for itself or avoid predators (including people). Cause that's not cool. Think long and hard before you decide that you are the best one to raise this baby. One thing wildlife rehabbers hate are people that take in wildlife thinking it would be fun to raise it, and then get in over their heads and bring it in when it's too late to save, or already imprinted on people so it can't be released. I know your heart is in the right place, and it is soooo cute, but do you really want ducks? If so, there are plenty domesticated ones out there.

 

[Romachick71]

I absolutely understand what you’re saying. I didn’t steal this duckling, he was one of 12 the runt left for dead in my pool. I have done everything I can to save his sweet little soul, he is on the mend and doing amazing. But yes I am taking him to the wildlife rescue because he deserves to have a beautiful life.

 

[townchicks]

I know you didn't steal it, that it was abandoned by the mom, and you saved it's life. Kudos to you for doing that. All I meant was that, as a wild bird, it deserves a chance to be wild.I wasn't trying to come down on you, I just have seen so many people take in wildlife, and try to keep them as pets, inappropriately. Ducks are probably the easiest birds to keep wild born ones as pets, and if you had kept it, making the commitment to it's lifetime, it probably would have done fine. I am glad that he gets a chance to be wild, though.

 

[lomine]

I'm glad you decided to take it to a wildlife rescue. I'm just going to leave this quote here for any future folks that might come across this post while looking for answers.

"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations."

source https://www.fws.gov/birds/policies-and-regulations/laws-legislations/migratory-bird-treaty-act.php

 

[redranger209]

I'm glad you decided to take it to a wildlife rescue. I'm just going to leave this quote here for any future folks that might come across this post while looking for answers.

"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations."

source https://www.fws.gov/birds/policies-and-regulations/laws-legislations/migratory-bird-treaty-act.php

Are ducks consitered migratory birds? I know that house sparrows are an exception to this.

 

[Khota]

Only certain breeds like Mallards apply to this act I believe. Domestic mallards will typically have a back toe clipped off I think, along with papers to show that they are domestic and not stolen from the wild. You would recieve from the breeder upon obtaining ownership of the duck. Domestic ducks like pekins or rouens for example aren't included in that act and are legal to own without a permit in most states. Also applies to domestic variations of geese.

 

[lomine]

There are several species of duck included on the list of protected species, including Mallards. That's why domestic Mallards have to be marked or tagged in some way. These are wild species of birds that migrate from one area to another. Any duck you can get from a feed store or hatchery is not included and are legal to own. If you happen upon a domestic breed bird in the "wild" it would not be against the law to rescue and keep it.

Here is the full list https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/managed-species/migratory-bird-treaty-act-protected-species.php