Kleo's ducklings, out in the big world!

Kleonaptra said:

This was their first day in the big pen which was actually last week when they were 5 weeks old. I'll take some more pics tomorrow, seeing them in the big pond is gorgeous! They had a little free range today, just went a few metres from the gate to forage near a tree. They always stick together and now mingle in the shed at night with everyone else. Im thinking Que is female, Abbey male and tiny winy Stormy (the eldest by 2 days) is still keeping it a secret!

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Kleonaptra said:

There has been no trouble from anyone. Poor little Wist wanted to make friends and Abbey beat him up...Story of his life unfortunately. The call drakes chased them a bit but nothing too fierce. They tried to imprint on Ephinny but she wasnt down with it at all so they just stuck together. Que is getting the most gorgeous call duck kind of face, even though the rest of her is all pekin. Its very interesting since I have so many different kinds of duck in the mix.

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Kleonaptra said:

LOL I'll get some more of the babies up in a day or two they are changing so fast! The entire flock is on my profile but its slightly out of focus....Its the only photo I have with all of them. I love showing off my birds so I will do my best.

You might be able to help me with a little problem too. When I bought my calls, it was a mother and 4 babies. The mother started changing colours immediately so I thought, she's a young bird. It became obvious at least 2 of the ducklings were drakes, one that looked identical to the mother. I sold one of the drakes, but within a few days I thought, Im missing the mother duck! The guy I sold the drake to called and said, you gave me a girl duck! So he brought her back and we swapped.

He definitely got a drake. But now 'mother duck' is a drake too. Curly tail, chases females and mounts them....But begs the chicken to mount her?

The obvious answer is, my friend gave me back the wrong bird. But he doesnt have calls, he has meat ducks. Mine stuck out like a sore thumb.

Im thinking, could the ducklings hsave imprinted on and been sild with a drake, or is this a gender confused duck? Its like having 4 boys and my girls are not happy!

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Kleonaptra said:

New pics!
The ducklings, taken today

Abbey's close up. Im now not 100% sure Wist fathered this duck....Its possible Varia is the mother and a call drake the father. But I havnt lost hope!


Stormy's close up. She just doesnt seem to grow.


Que's close up. I am in awe at the beauty of this duck. Her face looks like Leelu (who is her auntie) but she's going to be a big clumsy thing like her mum!


The whole flock..ducklings on the left. Then Syanne, pure pekin. Varia the dark brown part pekin. Little Wist in the centre (you all know him, right?) And Ephinny the part pekin hiding in the bush.


And my gorgeous scovy Regina, who is broody but came out for a photo op. I need to candle her eggs to see whats shaking. I also have an Isa brown named Sheena and a gorgeous australorp named Shiela. I have not had a chicken egg in months because the girls are too busy fighting over nest spots....Shiela spends the day brooding under the geranium plant. I keep telling her she could at least lay an egg while she's there!

To see my calls see this thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/938715/the-call-duck-mystery#post_14390195

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Kleonaptra said:

Oh yes Stormy is very healthy otherwise. Her mum is the littlest of the calls and her dad is her brother so..I feel a bit bad because Stormy was very active in the egg, and very active firstborn out of the egg, and when I put them in the brooder (it was a ridiculously cold day for our summer) I didnt cover the whole floor with bedding thinking they would just stay under the light. Got caught up doing things and when I got back little Stormy was on her back on the cold floor near unconcious with Que on top of her. I had to put her back in the bator (where Abbey was quietly pipping) to get her temp up. Since then she's been a little slow, definitely slower than when she hatched.

The time has come, I have to get rid of a drake, maybe two. Syanne is bald on the back of her head, the other 2 girls honk like geese when they see the call boys and little Wist is getting stressed out. Thorne is the instigator, he whips up the others, so he's got to go.

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