2019 Spring Ducklings are here!

[Texag87]

Here are our first two spring ducklings from the “experiment “. I do not think we will try again with the cheap made in China incubator.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Almost lost another Buff Orpington duck today!

Herded the duckies back into their house, set down the bowl with their supper (Kale and vegetable cuttings), closed the door, said "Good Night Duckies" turned around to go back inside… wait a moment!

One of the Buff Orpingtons somehow caught her bill in the hanging feeder, slipped and was dangling by her bill, frantically trying to get back on her feet. Rushed back in and freed that poor duck, she was not injured but very shaken up, trembling, peeping and tried to hide her head in my armpits.
I don't know why the floor in the duck house's dining room was so slippery today - i almost fell too - i cleaned it up thoroughly with a hose and lots of water yesterday but they seem to have pooped out some extra slippery stuff overnight, combined with some horizontal rain in the afternoon created that hazardous situation…
No idea what to do about it, so far the wooden floor had not caused any issues.

@Magnolia Ducks you had Buff Orpingtons in the past too, is it just me seeing things or are they a bit clumsier than other duck breeds?
I have a shallow drainage ditch across the grass where the ducks are running, all other ducks, even the white tanks hop over that ditch in a more or less elegant way. - The Buffies always stumble and fall in.
The ducks have bored lots and lots of holes into the ground, some are ½ foot deep. Only the Buffies step right into those holes and fall. I'm not far from having a heart attack everytime i see that, literally hearing a leg bone snapping.
But they dig out the holes faster than i can stuff them up…
Ducks!

I have a lot of sweet gum trees. The girls trip over the sweet gum balls and fall. It's tough to not have any arms to steady yourself.

 

[Miss Lydia]

View attachment 1731520 Here are our first two spring ducklings from the “experiment “. I do not think we will try again with the cheap made in China incubator.

That is adorable

 

[Texag87]

They went in the brooder at 1 am when #3 was hatched. #3 went in the brooder this morning because it was knocking 4,5,and 6 eggs all around. two of the remaining eggs and pipped and peeping.

 

[Texag87]

number 4 hatched. pics will have to wait until this evening, I did get to see them on facetime.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

So I went up to make my afternoon exchange in the run and everyone is in the coop not the pond. Count the ducklings 1 2 3 4..... Count again 4 again.Something ate my deaf crested buff. I can't figure out how it got through the electric fence. Looks like I will be moving the fence tomorrow. Try to stop the lunch buffet of all you can eat duck.

 

[Texag87]

 

[SailorNoMore]

@Magnolia Ducks I am sorry to read about your loss. Hopefully the fence move will stop the buffet.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

@Magnolia Ducks I am sorry to read about your loss. Hopefully the fence move will stop the buffet.

Thanks. I think I found the gap unless they crawled under and didn't mind the shock. The barn is metal sides and you can't have the fence closer than 3 inches. So that must have been enough to get the coyote or bobcat inside. How he/she/it got back out with a duck in its mouth.... We will see how the fence move works. The one thing I can count on is it will be back.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So I went up to make my afternoon exchange in the run and everyone is in the coop not the pond. Count the ducklings 1 2 3 4..... Count again 4 again.Something ate my deaf crested buff. I can't figure out how it got through the electric fence. Looks like I will be moving the fence tomorrow. Try to stop the lunch buffet of all you can eat duck.

Oh no! That's really bad news! So sorry for your loss!
Any idea what it was? Will you set up (a) trap(s)?
So far i've caught nothing in my trap since that unlucky racoon.