23 ducklings in one clutch?!

[fatedfaithfulfatal]

Grandma was back right after I finished posting a few minutes ago lol. It looks like all 25 are still with her and I threw some cockatiel seeds out for them and they seem to love it. Grandma got some bread...I know it's not the best for them, but she needs a full belly and to keep up her strength to care for all those little ones. View attachment 3532488

I hate to say this, but that's more than 25.... I just counted at least 31 using markup to mark each one counted.

Edit: I see someone else just saw the same thing as I was counting.

 

[EllieandOlive]

Grandma was back right after I finished posting a few minutes ago lol. It looks like all 25 are still with her and I threw some cockatiel seeds out for them and they seem to love it. Grandma got some bread...I know it's not the best for them, but she needs a full belly and to keep up her strength to care for all those little ones. View attachment 3532488

This is amazing!!! So exciting!
I had a french muscovy go broody in a tipped over 5 gallon bucket once. French muscovies are hard to hatch well typically and she was 12/12! They were xxl eggs to. My male was 19 lbs!

 

[chris330r]

I hate to say this, but that's more than 25.... I just counted at least 31 using markup to mark each one counted.

Edit: I see someone else just saw the same thing as I was counting.

Is markup an automatic counter? I did it by sight and my finger lol. I guess I got it right. But yeah...that's just SO many chicks!! But Mama seems to want them all to herself---That's why she's such a great mother!

 

[chris330r]

This is amazing!!! So exciting!
I had a french muscovy go broody in a tipped over 5 gallon bucket once. French muscovies are hard to hatch well typically and she was 12/12! They were xxl eggs to. My male was 19 lbs!

A couple of years ago a different wild Muscovy laid about a dozen eggs in a huge planter and for over a month in summertime they still wouldn't hatch but she continued sitting on them even after they began to smell.
I knew none of them were going to hatch and I suspect it was probably due to the intense heat we were having so after a few days when I knew for sure they weren't going to hatch and the smell became unbearable (it was right outside my back door), I tossed them all into the pond.

 

[fatedfaithfulfatal]

Is markup an automatic counter? I did it by sight and my finger lol. I guess I got it right. But yeah...that's just SO many chicks!! But Mama seems to want them all to herself---That's why she's such a great mother!

Oh nothing that fancy. I just saved the photo to my phone camera roll and used the “markup” feature to make a little marker line on them as I counted.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I used to think like that

Key word was 'HOPEFULLY'
You don't need to lecture me on the reality of bird keeping, and my flock is not a buffet for predators.
They found a way to eat before I was keeping ducks, and they can continue on that way, or they can answer to The Shepherd.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

And besides....25 grown Muscovies coming to my back patio each day would be a nightmare lol.

Do the right thing and find them homes, lol

 

[chris330r]

Key word was 'HOPEFULLY'
You don't need to lecture me on the reality of bird keeping, and my flock is not a buffet for predators.
They found a way to eat before I was keeping ducks, and they can continue on that way, or they can answer to The Shepherd.

I didn't mean to sound like I was lecturing. I apologize if it came across that way. I guess if these ducks were personally mine I would feel differently and same as you, but they are wild so I don't really have any personal attachment to them.

 

[chris330r]

Do the right thing and find them homes, lol

If all of them survive i'm praying that they will move on to someplace else and not stick around here. So I need to be careful with how much I feed them and not let them think this is their home. These Muscovies are everywhere in FL so I doubt anyone would want to take them in. My HOA thinks they're pests lol.

 

[Canadian Wind]

If all of them survive i'm praying that they will move on to someplace else and not stick around here. So I need to be careful with how much I feed them and not let them think this is their home. These Muscovies are everywhere in FL so I doubt anyone would want to take them in. My HOA thinks they're pests lol.

It's difficult when a non-native species becomes established like that. It isn't the animal's fault after all. I respect what you're saying and understand where you're coming from.