23 ducklings in one clutch?!

[chris330r]

Mama finally came with the brood, but I can count just 20 chicks. So it looks like our little vagabond left the flock early to see the world lol. Oh well, be free little one! I hope he makes it. By the time I got my phone they were already back in the water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It didn't even show up when mama came with the rest? Can you still see it on the water?

 

[chris330r]

It didn't even show up when mama came with the rest? Can you still see it on the water?

Sorry for the delay in responding! I have no idea where the little guy is. Today they all came for seed and I counted 20 so either he's out wandering the world or became someone's dinner.
He looked so tiny in the water all by himself and easy pickings for one of the hawks or eagles that circle above. At least Mama still has all the ones that are smart enough to stay by her.
Maybe he was on a suicide mission lol. Oh well. I'm sure Mama is too busy to care and she did try and get him back twice by flying across the pond to him, but I guess she couldn't spend the time swimming across with him while her 20 babies are alone so far away, so she did the right thing.

 

[chris330r]

10 days later update for anyone who's interested!

Still 20 babies and they're growing so quickly. I believe they're out of potential harm at this point because the grey Heron that usually picks them off as babies stood right at the bank of water while they all swam near it.
The Heron didn't bother with any of them choosing instead to spear little fish out of the water with his sharp beak and swallow them whole.
I tossed seeds for the babies and some leftover cooked penne pasta for Mama and the babies ran to it and began swallowing the penne whole and they liked it lol.
Two babies were fighting and getting rough with each other and Mama swooped in quickly between the two to break it up. She's such a great parent!

Here they are in one shot today...I counted all 20! I'm starting to see some of them developing their own personalities already too. It's so cute.

The Drake in the foreground is the good duck, not the killer one I shoo away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for updating they sure have grown. Bless mamas heart she deserves a medal for caring for all those ducklings. Well maybe a nice treat just for her.

 

[chris330r]

Thanks for updating they sure have grown. Bless mamas heart she deserves a medal for caring for all those ducklings. Well maybe a nice treat just for her.

I tossed the penne just for her today as a treat because she loves pasta, but all the babies left the seeds to investigate the strange looking food and decided they wanted it too. Mama of course let them have some, but I made sure she got enough for herself (I always make extra for them).
I can see she's exhausted with her eyes half closed at times. Poor thing has been working so hard these couple of months. I'll feel so happy for her when her job with them is done. She'll probably sleep for a week lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's so sweet you care so much about them, so many hate them and they are such precious ducks.

 

[chris330r]

That's so sweet you care so much about them, so many hate them and they are such precious ducks.

Thank you! They brighten my days and I love going out back each morning to see which duck is out there waiting for me. I saw my neighbor outside the other day with all the babies around her while she was feeding them, so we all enjoy taking good care of them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Bless you All

 

[Canadian Wind]

10 days later update for anyone who's interested!

Still 20 babies and they're growing so quickly. I believe they're out of potential harm at this point because the grey Heron that usually picks them off as babies stood right at the bank of water while they all swam near it.
The Heron didn't bother with any of them choosing instead to spear little fish out of the water with his sharp beak and swallow them whole.
I tossed seeds for the babies and some leftover cooked penne pasta for Mama and the babies ran to it and began swallowing the penne whole and they liked it lol.
Two babies were fighting and getting rough with each other and Mama swooped in quickly between the two to break it up. She's such a great parent!

Here they are in one shot today...I counted all 20! I'm starting to see some of them developing their own personalities already too. It's so cute.

The Drake in the foreground is the good duck, not the killer one I shoo away.

View attachment 3579127

Oh, he's a handsome boy! Babies are getting so big. It's almost like overnight they suddenly grow!

Can't wait for mine to get to this size, then I'll worry less about them.