A bunch of ducks and some chickens

[Callender Girl]

Siobhan has done a wonderful job! Such cute babies, whoever their parentage.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Third time broody for Siobhan
Without too many disturbances, annoyances, and distractions, Siobhan has had a very successful hatching time.
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All six hatched about the same time, 1.5 days earlier than due date. Four hatched on Saturday morning, and the other two hatched by lunchtime.
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Here are the 3 that I think are hers (hinnies), they all have distinct yellow ring around their necks (difficult to see in the photo).
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And the other 3 (regular) ducks. (I'm not sure why two are yellow, I'm probably wrong with who's whose. At least one of the yellow ones must be a welsh harlequin(?). (Maybe one of the yellow ones is Siobhan's, and one of the ones above is a khaki campbell cross.))
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We'll see how she goes as a mum this time.

Precious Congratulations to Mama Siobhan.

 

[jonasquinn]

An update
Chupi and Chanel both laid their first eggs today, at 20.5 weeks old. Probably explains why they've been standing right outside my bedroom window bawk-bawk-bawking at 6am the last couple days. Here's today's haul, Chupi and Chanel's are middle middle and bottom middle, not sure who is whose.


I helped a friend process two of his roosters yesterday. Predators had decimated his flock, at one point he had over 30 chickens, now (prior to processing) only 3 roosters and 4 hens remained. Those poor 4 girls were having a rough time, so it needed to be done. I cooked up one of the testicles to try today, it tasted like a creamy mini sausage.

Woke up to Siobhan's ducklings (2 days old) already enjoying the kiddie pool.

She has been very protective against any perceived threats (mostly just me and Emmy (nobody else she considers threats)). They all decided to jump in while I was halfway through emptying out the water to change.

Until lunchtime, I think they spent more time in the water than out of it.

Esme with her ducklings a fews days ago, at a week old. They are getting much less water time than Siobhan's. I don't think they've even been in the kiddie pool, just sitting in ice cream tubs of water when they can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If only Esme would jump in I doubt that would happen.
Aren't they precious. Nice looking eggs too.

Yeah too many roosters can sure mess up a hen in short order.

 

[jonasquinn]

Wanda
Her two remaining eggs both hatched yesterday arvo/night (I guess the detatched air cell was not an issue), 1.5 days early. Sadly, it seems that the first one that hatched died soon after. It was still quite wet looking. I suspect it got stepped on, it a had unusual bulge near its vent as a result. The second one was still alive in the morning.



I think Wanda still thinks she's sitting, she left her nest for break and left the duckling on her own. Siobhan probably heard the cheep-cheeps and went over to investigate. Here she is with 7 ducklings temporarily.

The new one tried to join in with Siobhan's brood, but she was didn't appreciate that. Siobhan kept gently nibbling/chomping on the new one's head to chase/scare her away. When Wanda eventually came back to her nest, I gave her back her duckling. She tucked it underneath her.

 

[jonasquinn]

Esme has resumed laying, I think. I found an egg slightly too big to be from the new ones. Two weeks from hatching her eggs.

Wanda is actually sitting. Here are the final photos with her duckling.

I gave her two chicken eggs and three bantam chicken eggs to sit on. She immediately ate a chicken egg . I'm not sure of the fertility of these eggs, if they're no good she's getting kicked off the nest.

Siobhan has "officially" adopted Wanda's duckling. Still gives it a nibble every now and then, but it's part of her brood now.

One of the yellow ones got "stuck" in the kiddie pool a couple nights ago. I heard it cheeping while I was trying to sleep, I had to go and help it out.

 

[Callender Girl]

!Hurray for the little one getting to join a family!

And, congrats on hearing and helping the baby in distress.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Esme has resumed laying, I think. I found an egg slightly too big to be from the new ones. Two weeks from hatching her eggs.

Wanda is actually sitting. Here are the final photos with her duckling.
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I gave her two chicken eggs and three bantam chicken eggs to sit on. She immediately ate a chicken egg . I'm not sure of the fertility of these eggs, if they're no good she's getting kicked off the nest.

Siobhan has "officially" adopted Wanda's duckling. Still gives it a nibble every now and then, but it's part of her brood now.
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One of the yellow ones got "stuck" in the kiddie pool a couple nights ago. I heard it cheeping while I was trying to sleep, I had to go and help it out.

Might want to make a safe ramp inside and out of the kiddie pool or large rocks I had one drown when it couldn't get out.