23 ducklings in one clutch?!

[Miss Lydia]

I think that is exactly why.

 

[Insnesnakos]

There's so many of them!

 

[chris330r]

There's so many of them!

It actually started out with 31 chicks! I went back to the start of this thread to get the exact count and I couldn't believe how tiny they all were not 2 months ago! Having 19 make it to adulthood out of 31 in the wild is pretty good. She's such an exceptional Mama and does it all with no help either. I'm just so amazed by her.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Yes, small prey animals especially need to mature quickly, as well as have many offspring. It's quite amazing that so many are still around, she's a great momma.

 

[chris330r]

Yes, small prey animals especially need to mature quickly, as well as have many offspring. It's quite amazing that so many are still around, she's a great momma.

They came early this morning for seeds and bread and afterwards Mama decided to bathe herself by splashing herself in the pond and the babies all copied her and bathed while flapping their little tiny wings in the water. It was so cute. Mama is teaching them so well and i'm sure the females of that clutch will be great Mamas to their young just like her.

 

[chris330r]

No Mama! She was here this morning with the brood but just now I saw them all sitting out in the grass together and Mama was nowhere to be found. Hopefully she just needed a short break and will return. I doubt she thinks they're ready to be on their own so soon, but with 19 babies, who can blame her? ....Hopefully she returns soon.

Here they are this afternoon---I love how that one up front is looking right up as if to say "Hello!" lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww I hope she’s okay let us know when you see her!

 

[chris330r]

Aww I hope she’s okay let us know when you see her!

I'm sure she'll show up tomorrow. I can't imagine anything bad has happened to her as she's such an independent and self sufficient duck. My guess is she went somewhere she knows there is food and won't have to share it with 19 kids if she's alone lol.

When I toss her some bread the babies all nip at her beak to get at it so she must be getting frustrated with so many other mouths to compete with! Right now it's very heavy thunderstorms so they're hopefully huddling all together somewhere safe and Mama will return with the brood in the morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We've come to love mama. Shes such a good one.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did mama show up today? @chris330r