I was cleaning for a client of mine today and she had left me a note telling me to check out the duck on her deck. I looked out on the deck which is on the second story of the house and there was the mallard hen sitting in a flower pot on the deck right out in the open. I thought to myself hmmm this is odd for her to be out here like this where any air born predator could just snatch her right up. I kept an eye on her and about noon she left the nest. I didn't see her leave just noticed she had gone. I watched and waited for about 45 minutes. When glancing out there at the flower pot I hadn't seen her but then I looked around the deck and there she was just laid out smack dab in the middle of the deck like she was sitting on her eggs. I thought again her behavior was a bit strange. I sat and watched her try to get up and walk towards the flower pot nest, she was having a really hard time walking at all. I saw her left leg was injured like perhaps she had gotten clipped by a car. SHe had to fly up to the nest because she couldn't walk. I sat and pondered what I should do and decided at that point I had better leave things be and make a few phone calls when I got home.
WHen I came home I called the wildlife rehab center about an hour away from my house. They told me to leave her be even tho she was injured OR take her in and they would try to fix her leg but if they couldn't she would have to be put down. They said I couldn't bring in the eggs (she has 10) They would just toss them. He told me to keep an eye on her and when the ducklings hatch I could bring in the whole crew, trouble is I am not there everyday and my client works everyday as well. Noone can really keep a close eye on her and I am guessing if I took her off the nest and moved her somewhere she would give up on the eggs. I fear that when the ducklings do hatch she won't be able to walk around with them and they will be easy pickins for predators. I have no clue as to what the laws are about these ducks but I sure don't want to get in any trouble. I hate to leave her out there, she is not sheltered at all and I am extremely worried about her leg. I have no desire to hatch out wild duck eggs but I'd hate to take that experience away from her. To mess with mother nature or to just let nature take it's course???? Please help
WHen I came home I called the wildlife rehab center about an hour away from my house. They told me to leave her be even tho she was injured OR take her in and they would try to fix her leg but if they couldn't she would have to be put down. They said I couldn't bring in the eggs (she has 10) They would just toss them. He told me to keep an eye on her and when the ducklings hatch I could bring in the whole crew, trouble is I am not there everyday and my client works everyday as well. Noone can really keep a close eye on her and I am guessing if I took her off the nest and moved her somewhere she would give up on the eggs. I fear that when the ducklings do hatch she won't be able to walk around with them and they will be easy pickins for predators. I have no clue as to what the laws are about these ducks but I sure don't want to get in any trouble. I hate to leave her out there, she is not sheltered at all and I am extremely worried about her leg. I have no desire to hatch out wild duck eggs but I'd hate to take that experience away from her. To mess with mother nature or to just let nature take it's course???? Please help