- Jun 5, 2014
- 33
- 6
- 89
My husband decided to surprise me with 6 ducklings today. We got them from Tractor Supply and I looked up the colors - Khaki Campbell! They're adorable and pretty chatty. Our older Pekin needed some duck friends, she's been living with the chickens since her "sister" was killed by a dog that got into their pen. The duck thinks she is a chicken and the chickens think they're ducks. Pretty fun and not unsafe since we only have a shallow creek or Quackerton's small pool.
Only bad part of having the ducklings was one died this afternoon. When we got home I noticed that one of the ducklings was struggling to move around. It moved like it had just hatched. It seemed to have trouble breathing, too. I put it in a brooder alone to keep the others from trampling it. It peeped quite a bit, like it was in distress, so I took it out and kept it close to my chest for warmth while I worked on an editing job. It seemed happier, then when I picked it up to give it another look over- it had seemed splay-legged--it threw it's head back violently, it's legs went rigid and it just died. The kids and I just sat there in shock because it had seemed to be perking up a minute before. I called Tractor Supply after we buried the little thing, they're giving us another healthy one tomorrow, but I really wish they had looked the babies over better.
We're hoping that my Pekin will take to the babies and become friendly. She had a run in with ANOTHER dog, mine this time. He's 4 months old and didn't know ducks don't play like dogs do. Our other Shepherd doesn't bother the birds, pretty sure that after the rooster beat on the pup he won't try it again. Since she's healing the bite we have put the brood box in her healer pen. She looks over the side and watches the babies. Everyone has had a peek at the new babies except for the chickens and the dogs. I don't think that the dogs will get to meet them at all!
Only bad part of having the ducklings was one died this afternoon. When we got home I noticed that one of the ducklings was struggling to move around. It moved like it had just hatched. It seemed to have trouble breathing, too. I put it in a brooder alone to keep the others from trampling it. It peeped quite a bit, like it was in distress, so I took it out and kept it close to my chest for warmth while I worked on an editing job. It seemed happier, then when I picked it up to give it another look over- it had seemed splay-legged--it threw it's head back violently, it's legs went rigid and it just died. The kids and I just sat there in shock because it had seemed to be perking up a minute before. I called Tractor Supply after we buried the little thing, they're giving us another healthy one tomorrow, but I really wish they had looked the babies over better.
We're hoping that my Pekin will take to the babies and become friendly. She had a run in with ANOTHER dog, mine this time. He's 4 months old and didn't know ducks don't play like dogs do. Our other Shepherd doesn't bother the birds, pretty sure that after the rooster beat on the pup he won't try it again. Since she's healing the bite we have put the brood box in her healer pen. She looks over the side and watches the babies. Everyone has had a peek at the new babies except for the chickens and the dogs. I don't think that the dogs will get to meet them at all!
I will add a recent picture as soon as I can. Thank you for the warm welcome!
