2019 Spring Ducklings are here!

[SailorNoMore]

Newbie has a question! Have you ever seen the matriarch of your flock change from who started? Mine are only a year old. But who started out, and was nearly culled for her meaness when the drake was introduced, is now sharing the same nest with the duck that has been odd from day one and is trying to be my broody duck. It is noticble when my drake only escorts two hens around the yard instead of 3 and sometimes all 4 hens. When I examine the coop camera there are the other two laying on the same nest. Both of them take defensive postures when I approach the coop for their daily maintenance.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Newbie has a question! Have you ever seen the matriarch of your flock change from who started? Mine are only a year old. But who started out, and was nearly culled for her meaness when the drake was introduced, is now sharing the same nest with the duck that has been odd from day one and is trying to be my broody duck. It is noticble when my drake only escorts two hens around the yard instead of 3 and sometimes all 4 hens. When I examine the coop camera there are the other two laying on the same nest. Both of them take defensive postures when I approach the coop for their daily maintenance.

I don't have something like a permanent matriarch in my flock. There are some leader ducks, like Katharina Duck who has the same group ducks around her most of the time, her kids from last year for example. The others create spontaneous groups that stick together and do something - for example bother "humon" at his office-window so much, that he throws out a shovel of wheat. While another group is trying to build double, triple and even quadruple duck-burgers in the pool…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yesterday was a terrible Day: Alba Duck disappeared!​

I heart a commotion outside, then all of the ducks started their alarm-quack. Rushed outside and sam - nothing! But the crows in the trees of the neighbors property were crowing their alarm too…
Started to count and noticed that one of the While Layers was missing:
Alba Duck is gone!
The crazy thing is that this - once again - has happened while they were close to the house and not free-ranging. I don't let them free range at the moment as the four little ducklings are running around with them. I have no set up my trail camera to see what is lurking around here.
Pictures of Alba: https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/alba-duck.7429274/

 

[Texag87]

It says I dont have permission to view album

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

It says I dont have permission to view album

Thank you very much for notifying me! - The default for new albums since the last update is " Album owner only". Just changed it.

 

[SailorNoMore]

WannaBeHillBilly I am so sorry for your loss. I have three documented attempts of eagles attempting this but not succeeding YET!! I know it will tear me apart when it does occur.

 

[Texag87]

@WannaBeHillBilly sorry for your loss. My wife is still not over the loss of Rou. She has not really gotten into the being with the new ducklings much.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Thank you very much @SailorNoMore and @Texag87 ! - It was definitely not a bird of prey, there was nothing left of Alba, no feathers, no blood no sign of a struggle as if Beamy had scotted her up. I guess dog, coyote, fox or even humon. I've set the camera up to see what's lurking around day and night. So far only i was lurking around in the last 24 hours…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I'm now down to 17 ducks for 8 drakes and today was an absolute pandemonium!
Pinball Duck has no motherly feelings for her ducklings at all, we got a heavy thunderstorm here this evening, she and the other ducks were sitting under the roof overhand, watching me running through the rain trying to catch four completely soaked ducklings. Had i dared to catch one of Katharinas ducklings last year i'd be missing a finger now…
I definitely need new ducks (girls, girls, girls!) but i don't know which ones. I would love to have white Runner Ducks, but Rheinhardt Mini Ranch is selling them only unsexed and i know my luck…
Don't know what to do with those four ducklings! They have integrated themselves into the flock and were peeping like crazy at the duck-house door when i brought them in and gave them food and water while the other ducks prefered to stay outside, getting blisters from the hail. I'm so mad a Pinball!!!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Oops! Wrong Thread…