23 ducklings in one clutch?!

[Canadian Wind]

I bought 3 bags last week and free shipping with Prime. It's still showing available for me at the moment. I wonder if it's because you're in Canada that it's showing that?

Oh, that could be it!

 

[chris330r]

A new Mama duck came with her babies this morning. She looks just like Grandma duck so I wonder if they're related? Grandma was watching her and her chicks but she kept a respectful distance and left her and the babies alone. She's such a good girl!

Her 18 kids however all waddled up to the babies and began pecking and trying to shoo them away so I got the squirt bottle out and put a stop to that quickly. I guess they don't like the competition!

These 18 are a handful. I waited until they swam clear across the lake to toss out some feed for the new babies, but as soon as they heard the click of the window latch opening, (how on earth do they hear it from that far away?!) they all turned around and swam back across the lake quickly to claim that food too. Ugh. I have to be very quiet when opening the window now lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They have to have good hearing it’s one of the ways to keep from being eaten lol.
Love the picture ! Maybe the new mama is a daughter to grandma?

 

[chris330r]

They have to have good hearing it’s one of the ways to keep from being eaten lol.
Love the picture ! Maybe the new mama is a daughter to grandma?

It was so funny as soon as I popped the latch they all turned around in the water from all the way on the other side and began paddling back. I was like "Oh no, eat fast babies!"

I think for sure she's related to Grandma and must be one of her dozens of daughters floating around. This duck is very fertile lol. It was interesting how Grandma didn't chase her and her babies away but kept a distance and allowed them all to get their treats. So perhaps she instinctively knows it's her daughter and grandkids.

 

[Chicalina]

I've just read this whole thread and loved every minute!
What a wonderful place you have there OP. I'm so envious.

Have you thought about building a little duck house and floating it out a little way onto the pond (secured by a rope). You may get ducks nesting there next season and they'd be right under your window. Maybe even Grandma might use it.

Doesn't have to be anything fancy.

https://goodshomedesign.com/how-to-build-a-floating-duck-house/

(I'm way too invested in your little duck families!)

 

[chris330r]

I've just read this whole thread and loved every minute!
What a wonderful place you have there OP. I'm so envious.

Have you thought about building a little duck house and floating it out a little way onto the pond (secured by a rope). You may get ducks nesting there next season and they'd be right under your window. Maybe even Grandma might use it.

Doesn't have to be anything fancy.

https://goodshomedesign.com/how-to-build-a-floating-duck-house/

(I'm way too invested in your little duck families!)

Thank you very much! Sometimes I wonder if anyone else besides Miss Lydia and Canadian Wind cares for my little updates lol. I'm glad you enjoyed the whole thread. It's hard to believe just 3 months ago when I started it, the flock was just tiny little chickies....they're so big now!

I love that little floating house but I don't think my HOA would take too kindly to it. We're already not supposed to feed the ducks but since we all do it anyway, they look the other way and I don't think I want to press my luck lol.

In some of the photos in the thread you can see all the lush foliage across the lake. That's where Grandma and the kids go to at the end of the day, so i'm sure they must have a nice little home built somewhere inside there. I'd love to go over there and take a peek inside, but who knows what other biting creatures are living inside there....so i'll just use my imagination. It must be a nice little space to accommodate all 19 of them!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I for one loved the whole thread

 

[Chicalina]

Thank you very much! Sometimes I wonder if anyone else besides Miss Lydia and Canadian Wind cares for my little updates lol. I'm glad you enjoyed the whole thread. It's hard to believe just 3 months ago when I started it, the flock was just tiny little chickies....they're so big now!

I love that little floating house but I don't think my HOA would take too kindly to it. We're already not supposed to feed the ducks but since we all do it anyway, they look the other way and I don't think I want to press my luck lol.

In some of the photos in the thread you can see all the lush foliage across the lake. That's where Grandma and the kids go to at the end of the day, so i'm sure they must have a nice little home built somewhere inside there. I'd love to go over there and take a peek inside, but who knows what other biting creatures are living inside there....so i'll just use my imagination. It must be a nice little space to accommodate all 19 of them!

That's a shame! I was thinking about how much pleasure they obviously give you and a way to increase that, especially since your neighbours seem to be just as into caring for them as you.

Grandma definitely knows best, and she must be doing something right having raised so many successful broods.

Another treat that ducks love is defrosted frozen peas. Cheap to buy too if you want to try those.

And shredded lettuce or greens. If you chuck some in a shallow pan of water, it's fun to watch them fish for the food in the water. The greedy ones can go into a bit of a frenzy.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I for one loved the whole thread

DITTO!

It's almost hard to believe how grown-up they are now, feathered out and everything.

 

[chris330r]

That's a shame! I was thinking about how much pleasure they obviously give you and a way to increase that, especially since your neighbours seem to be just as into caring for them as you.

Grandma definitely knows best, and she must be doing something right having raised so many successful broods.

Another treat that ducks love is defrosted frozen peas. Cheap to buy too if you want to try those.

And shredded lettuce or greens. If you chuck some in a shallow pan of water, it's fun to watch them fish for the food in the water. The greedy ones can go into a bit of a frenzy.

I would have never guessed they'd like peas of all things! I'll have to pick up a few bags and try it this week. I would just leave the bags in the fridge over the freezer?

I don't think those evil White Ibis's would eat it so the ducks wouldn't have to fight them for it. Those birds are just despicable how they use their long beaks to pull the food right out from the duck's bills. I enjoy squirting them with the water bottle and watching them scatter in fear lol.

The ducks really are a wonderful stress reliever along with the beautiful view, it's become my haven when I have crazy stressful days. When I bought the place 11 years ago, as soon as I walked out onto that patio and saw the wildlife and the water view I said "I'll take it!" And that was after viewing nearly 100 homes...I just knew instantly that this was the place I wanted to grow old in.