wid wood duck chicks

[lesgo54]

we have a pond, and we have a wood duck house next to it. every year we have wood ducks visit the pond and they lay eggs in the house. only once have we seen the chicks and that was for 5 minutes before the hen took them into the woods to neve return. 3 days ago my wife looked into the house that there were about a dozen chicks and now they are gone. does any body know where they go. how would they survive in the woods. theres no other water by me for maybe a mile. and the creeks are dry right now. we thinking next year to take the chicks from the house and raise them ourself.

 

[desertdarlene]

Wild duck mothers can take their ducklings many miles away, so they're probably fine and don't need any help.

 

[Eowyn2]

Taking those eggs to "raise yourself" is likely illegal, besides being the worst possible thing you could do for those babies.

Their mama knows how to take care of them, otherwise the entire species would likely be gone in one generation. Wood ducks eat a lot of forest-type foods, like berries, etc. they can survive just fine in the woods; if they couldn't, mama wouldn't take them there. They are capable of eating that stuff as soon as they leave the nest, too.

Animal babies survive by not being too noticeable. Their mama is doing a good job if you never see then.