@mlm Mike I am asking on here(rather than a PM) because it's just too cute to not let everyone know about!
My ducklings are scaring the heck out of my flock! My drake got to meet them face to face yesterday. When two came close to him, he went the other way! Last night was their first night in the coop with the others. Three weeks old, and no heat lamp!
This morning, five or six of the older chicks and a hen had gotten inside of the brooder area when the door fell open.
I just opened the one gate to change the water for the ducklings. I shot the run door so that no one would go in, and hurt them. I was not expecting the ducklings to run outside after me. I don't know why, they do occasionally follow me. I finally opened the run to put their water back into their area, and they ran out and jumped into the big bowl of water for the adult ducks.
I then watched as the duck pair inspected the ducklings, then ran away. The ducklings then chased the entire rest of my flock of 23 chickens when everyone came for the scratch I was throwing out!
I have never seen anything so funny!! While I would love to know how everyone was afraid of five little ducklings, I am more interested in what to do next.
Even though it has only been two days, and a night, should I skip the fencing in the coop? It looks like the ducklings will be fine. The only problem is that they aren't bonded to the flock for protection. When the alarm was sounded by my rooster that there was danger, everyone including the adult ducks ran underneath the lilac bush. The ducklings were locked in the run, and didn't react (it was a car slamming on the brakes).
My ducklings are scaring the heck out of my flock! My drake got to meet them face to face yesterday. When two came close to him, he went the other way! Last night was their first night in the coop with the others. Three weeks old, and no heat lamp!
This morning, five or six of the older chicks and a hen had gotten inside of the brooder area when the door fell open.I just opened the one gate to change the water for the ducklings. I shot the run door so that no one would go in, and hurt them. I was not expecting the ducklings to run outside after me. I don't know why, they do occasionally follow me. I finally opened the run to put their water back into their area, and they ran out and jumped into the big bowl of water for the adult ducks.
I then watched as the duck pair inspected the ducklings, then ran away. The ducklings then chased the entire rest of my flock of 23 chickens when everyone came for the scratch I was throwing out!
I have never seen anything so funny!! While I would love to know how everyone was afraid of five little ducklings, I am more interested in what to do next.
Even though it has only been two days, and a night, should I skip the fencing in the coop? It looks like the ducklings will be fine. The only problem is that they aren't bonded to the flock for protection. When the alarm was sounded by my rooster that there was danger, everyone including the adult ducks ran underneath the lilac bush. The ducklings were locked in the run, and didn't react (it was a car slamming on the brakes).
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