Duck hatching outside.
Am I right in just leaving my duck?
She has been sitting on eggs for nearly a month and only appears out to drink rarely, so I left food and water.
The eggs seem to have hatched, I counted five ducklings but dont want to disturb her.
Shall I allow nature to take its course? The days are getting colder now so I could put a lamp in the shed and move them, but frankly the duck seems to be coping well.
A couple of months back I decided to run my flock down and let them die off naturally.
Nature seems to have other plans :-)
I cannot say I am too sorry, I do like my quackers!
kwackers
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024 I would leave them, they should be fine, they are a lot less sensitive to the weather than chicks.
Glyn
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 When you say you decide to run your flock down😐 what does that mean.
paddycrawford
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 Thanks for the feedback,
I am glad of the suggestion, the duck seems to be coping well without my intervention, so I am very happy to have my thoughts on the matter confirmed.
Running the flock down came about when I did the long overdue cull of five drakes. I dislike killing them and don't like asking the neighbor to do it as I don't think he is too keen either, despite him seeing off a few sheep in his time. Killing the flock does not get easier with practice I find, just the opposite in fact.
So I decided to reallocate the incubator to yoghurt and buttermilk making and let the flock decline naturally.
I didn't take into account that a duck might actually hatch eggs though :-)
The ducks never seemed that fussed about their eggs, in fact I used to dredge eggs up when cleaning their pond, but I suppose it's a human trait not figuring out that the world can function without us :-)
kwackers
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 Oh I thought you ran them down with the car or something.
paddycrawford
Friday, September 6th, 2024 Hardly!
I guess its not the most humane.
It's a pleasure to see the duck with her nine little ducklings.
They look more "turned on and with it" than the ones I hatched in the incubator.
Another oddity was them meeting the pool for the first time, there was no hesitation.
Before there was a bit of a pause, then one or two would jump in, splash violently and jump out.
I don't know what to do with nine more beaks to feed, but they are truly enjoyable to watch.
kwackers
Friday, September 6th, 2024 Congratulations on the new babies! Your new ducklings will be waterproof because of the oils from their mother. Your other ones would only become waterproof when the learned to use their preen glands. Enjoy them. No one can watch ducks without smiling!
Joseph lawler
Wednesday, September 11th, 2024 Thanks Joseph.
It is amazing to watch them, the mother is very protective and it's funny to watch her chasing the opposition off when the ducklings are feeding.
I bought no starter feed and didn't fetch the heat lamp out. They seem fine and only bunch up to sleep for an hour or so when tired of roaming the garden.
I have put peas back on the shopping list though, the mother sticks firmly to the back garden though, so it's easy to feed her and the ducklings treas selectively. They seem very happy with the layers pellets though, so I didn't bother getting starter.
The other thing I noticed during the ducks hatching was that she ejected two eggs.
Now I used a high intensity lamp and found it difficult to see if one looked invalid.
I also hatched a couple that only survived a day or so, they didn't balance easily and tended to kind of "fit".
I am inclined to think the incubator was an inferior choice with hindsight.
It's not bad for yoghurt though :-)
kwackers
Friday, September 13th, 2024
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Duck hatching outside.
Am I right in just leaving my duck?
She has been sitting on eggs for nearly a month and only appears out to drink rarely, so I left food and water.
The eggs seem to have hatched, I counted five ducklings but dont want to disturb her.
Shall I allow nature to take its course? The days are getting colder now so I could put a lamp in the shed and move them, but frankly the duck seems to be coping well.
A couple of months back I decided to run my flock down and let them die off naturally.
Nature seems to have other plans :-)
I cannot say I am too sorry, I do like my quackers!
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024
I would leave them, they should be fine, they are a lot less sensitive to the weather than chicks.
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
When you say you decide to run your flock down😐 what does that mean.
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
Thanks for the feedback,
I am glad of the suggestion, the duck seems to be coping well without my intervention, so I am very happy to have my thoughts on the matter confirmed.
Running the flock down came about when I did the long overdue cull of five drakes. I dislike killing them and don't like asking the neighbor to do it as I don't think he is too keen either, despite him seeing off a few sheep in his time. Killing the flock does not get easier with practice I find, just the opposite in fact.
So I decided to reallocate the incubator to yoghurt and buttermilk making and let the flock decline naturally.
I didn't take into account that a duck might actually hatch eggs though :-)
The ducks never seemed that fussed about their eggs, in fact I used to dredge eggs up when cleaning their pond, but I suppose it's a human trait not figuring out that the world can function without us :-)
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
Oh I thought you ran them down with the car or something.
Friday, September 6th, 2024
Hardly!
I guess its not the most humane.
It's a pleasure to see the duck with her nine little ducklings.
They look more "turned on and with it" than the ones I hatched in the incubator.
Another oddity was them meeting the pool for the first time, there was no hesitation.
Before there was a bit of a pause, then one or two would jump in, splash violently and jump out.
I don't know what to do with nine more beaks to feed, but they are truly enjoyable to watch.
Friday, September 6th, 2024
Congratulations on the new babies! Your new ducklings will be waterproof because of the oils from their mother. Your other ones would only become waterproof when the learned to use their preen glands. Enjoy them. No one can watch ducks without smiling!
Wednesday, September 11th, 2024
Thanks Joseph.
It is amazing to watch them, the mother is very protective and it's funny to watch her chasing the opposition off when the ducklings are feeding.
I bought no starter feed and didn't fetch the heat lamp out. They seem fine and only bunch up to sleep for an hour or so when tired of roaming the garden.
I have put peas back on the shopping list though, the mother sticks firmly to the back garden though, so it's easy to feed her and the ducklings treas selectively. They seem very happy with the layers pellets though, so I didn't bother getting starter.
The other thing I noticed during the ducks hatching was that she ejected two eggs.
Now I used a high intensity lamp and found it difficult to see if one looked invalid.
I also hatched a couple that only survived a day or so, they didn't balance easily and tended to kind of "fit".
I am inclined to think the incubator was an inferior choice with hindsight.
It's not bad for yoghurt though :-)
Friday, September 13th, 2024