Orphaned wild duckling not eating

[MGG]

Here are some pics.

 

[Juge]

Thank you so much for the ID! I'll see if I can find the duck starter online. He is still very energetic and chirpy

 

[MGG]

No problem. He's a cute little thing

 

[Miss Lydia]

I thought you had starter just use it for now use nice warm water and try getting him to eat. Thanks for the ID @MGG . Mamma ducks will nest pretty far away from water sources for some unknown reason and when they start the trek to water any not keeping up will get left behind.

 

[MGG]

They are cavity nesters so it must likely jumped late. The others may have jumped and it was still hatching, or nervous, sleeping, too wobbly etc. The parents and siblings are probably long gone. Is there any water around? Perhaps you could find them and give the baby back. It would have a better chance. The parents would have gone to the closest water. If you find them they might take the baby back. Just a suggestion. Otherwise you should see if you can find another young duckling to raise with it.

 

[Juge]

The day we found him my brother saw three other ducklings down the road when he was going to town to get the chick starter, I went out right away with the duckling calling up a storm but we couldn't find them anywhere. So I asumed they were with the momma and continued on their journey

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully it will be fine. You could always try an find a rehabber to try an help the little one because now that’s it’s imprinted it shouldn’t be put out on its own anywhere.

 

[MGG]

Rehabbers usually just do the same thing you are doing. It will be stressful anyway since it already imprinted on you it would be scared to leave. It will be fine I think. Are there any zoos nearby that could take it when it's an adult? I'm assuming that it would be illegal to own without a permit there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If the goal of the OP is to set it free when old enough giving it over to a rehabber who knows how to prepare it for release would be best.

 

[MGG]

True. I don't really think it can ever be released though. It will always be awkward and most likely ignored. A zoo or aviary would give it a good life though. It would have to be released with others of the same species. If they can find a rehabber than that's fine, but they usually don't have room or time for one duckling. I've asked before, they usually only take either multiples of the same species or bigger animals such as mammals, etc.