The duckling club

[gal5150]

Blue Swedish maybe on that adorable grey fluff ball. It's gorgeous! Please posts pics as it grows!!!
Okay, my experience involves, three broody hens and eight fertile duck eggs. Didn't know whether chickens could hatch ducks but the evidence would indicate they can!

Eight eggs. Six proved viable. Rats got two. I got home in time to see the rest pip and hatch. Put them in a brooder (to protect against rats) and voila! Four healthy peepers. As they are "mystery eggs" I'm not sure what breed they are. Black and white I'm figuring as either black Swedish or possibly Cayuga crosses. Yellow one is a pekin. As for the grey, it's anyone's guess.

Anyway, when they grow they will join my flock of five welsh harlequins.

 

[gal5150]

My two new Welsh Harlequins

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Such a serious little thing! Love it!

 

[SAustin]

The day we brought Bill and Ted home. They were only 4 days old!

. At 7 weeks old! I'm excited to get more babies next Spring!!

 

[AnjKar n Ducks]

Bonni & Clyde
(Clyde is the one not looking at the camera)

 

[SAustin]

Ok this group is REALLY making me want more ducklings NOW! lol

 

[iloveduckies]

True lol

 

[Vincible1]

Okay, the other half of the saga.

Back in April I received my order of welsh harlequin ducklings from Holderreads. Eleven peepers, all heathy and happy.

Just one teensie problem.... As they grew it became painfully obvious that eight of them were males!

Eight males to three females is an unsustainable ratio in any flock. What to do? Didn't want to do them all in. Not only had I raised them from peepers, but welsh harlequins are stunningly handsome (not to mention having great genetics for egg laying and such)

Ended up finding a farmer nearby that was looking to expand her flock. Traded four males to her for a slew of fertile duck eggs, placed them under my broody chickens and voila! Ducklings!

Now if a few of these new ones turn out to be females, the flock will be much happier.

 

[iloveduckies]

Probably

 

[DuckGirl95]

My babies at a week

Now they're 4 weeks old

 

[quackers619]

2 darn cute