stray baby duck

[crtrlovr]

A person called my friend (a wildlife rehabber) about a duckling that wandered into their yard. Since she is deathly sick right now, she called me & asked if I could pick it up & keep it here until she can get by here in the next day or two). The people said it was a mallard. When I got there, I saw a TINY (still downy, but with a few wing feathers) duck with black feet & legs (not mallard, right?), yellow underbelly & up chest a bit, some yellow on sides of head with dark line to the eye, I think, black bill... Any guesses??

ETA: when I say TINY, I mean less than half the size of my 2 1/2 week old frizzle cochin chicks... not much bigger than they were at hatch...

 

[xke4]

Hi there. Does the stripe that goes to the eye continue on the other side? Does the "V" of black on his head extend to a point at his bill? Are his feet and legs dark but not solid in colour? A bit of lighter colour here and there? Is there a bit of yellow on his back? Yes? Then he is probably a Mallard and should settle down nicely to eat chopped up mealworms and duck starter. If he is reluctant to eat, you can sprinkle the food on a light coloured surface like a piece of paper towel. Or float some in a tiny bit of water. Really tiny tho' ....don't want him getting wet/cold.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Sounds like a mallard

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Heres a pic of my mallard babies...they do have black feet

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
This one's "stripe" actually forms a ring around the eye, almost like oversized eyeglasses. The feet & legs are black with a couple of TINY yellow dots on the shanks/toes. There is NO yellow on the back or sides, but there is a tiny narrow yellow bar on each wing. The only yellow is on the underbelly, partway up the chest, and the sides of the face. The bill is black with a red eggtooth still on the upper bill. Tiny little toot... about the size of a day old standard size chicken.

ETA: looks nothing like the beautiful mallard babies in the post just above this one.

 

[sparkles2307]

wood duck

 

[crtrlovr]

Looks a Lot like that except the little line encircled the eye. other than that, that's a very good similarity. Unfortunately, baby died this afternoon.

S/he acted fine this morning, and when I went to check on it a while later, it was on its side and just had "that look". I tried dribbling lukewarm sugar water along its bill to see if it would perk up any, but no. Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions and input. I do appreciate it.