Eggs hatched 4days apart!

[frankenchick]

Our Muscovy duck, LouLou, was setting on a clutch of 8 eggs (down from 13 thanks to a skunk). One egg hatched on a Weds. I thought, “ well, it’s to be expected. There’s not been any new genetics introduced, so . . .” And left it at that. Until Sun, when I went out to do chores and found an obviously newly-hatched duckling in the nest. LouLou didnt seem to care about its peeping, so I tried picking it up. Any other time, Mama would be coming at me like a killer, but she didn’t care at all about this baby. I concluded that it had been rejected because of the late hatch and took it in. To church. In a washcloth. In my purse. I didn’t have time to set anything up, and anyway, Dinky was a hit with the animal lovers. This also confirmed the suspicions of those who think I’m a bit strange.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s so funny. How’s the church going duckling today?

 

[frankenchick]

That’s so funny. How’s the church going duckling today?

S/he is growing like a weed, though not as big as the older hatch mate. Its little claws are like fish hooks, so between Dinky and the mosquitoes here, I’m a mess!

The only problem I foresee is when it’s time for Dink to move out of the house. Every time I take him/her to the pasture with me, we have these Children of the Corn moments when we’re surrounded by hissing drakes, all seemingly determined to end poor Dinky. I’m hoping to rehome the drakes to an alpaca farm that needs snail control. I guess it’ll be better done sooner than later.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww how precious we need some pics of Dinky! And yes don’t put him/her out there with the drakes. Poor thing wouldn’t stand a chance.