Charleston we have a Broody here!

[Miss Lydia]

A couple more weeks and it will really be noticeable what you have, they are just so adorable.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I'm getting more and more impatient here, today i discovered that they have white tail feathers:

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

And momma is much more afraid of me than they are! - Which makes momma even more angry towards me…

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm getting more and more impatient here, today i discovered that they have white tail feathers:

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Good and bad news!

Let's start with the bad news: Plastic "hardware"-cloth ducks!!!
It works like a step-ladder for little ducklings who want to escape their brooder!
I got alerted by a sudden commotion, loud angry quacks and frantic peeps! The two largest ducklings were outside their fenced-in area chasing mom back and forth, who was quacking angry at everybody and everything (yes! She chased a shrub!) in defense of her babies. The five still inside were peeping loud in fear.
The good news: None of the other ducks attacked or even chased the ducklings - not even the evil shrub tried to grab them! They ran straight over Blanca without being eaten, she just said »Quackwack!«. In the end Mom jumped on top of the "hardware" cloth, bend it inwards and the two rascals just climbed back in. Who said Mallard derived ducks cannot perch? - Katharina can!
I will do my best to keep them separated as long as possible, they are so tiny in comparison to the White Layers, but i guess one week, maybe 10 days and they let themselves loose…

 

[Miss Lydia]

At 10 days with all the space you have they will most likely be fine as long as they stay away from stampeding ducks going for meal worm attack. I’d say mom is going to be a force to reckon with if anyone tries to get close. Just make sure to let them out after the stampede every morning.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Ouch - i think i will rename Katharina to Mrs. Pincer!!!
Another duckling escaped and was happily running around in the yard, sneaking into my peppermint shrubs and peeping happily about the yummy things it found.
That's when i heart it, caught it and wanted to bring it back to mom and its siblings…
It peeped loudly in protest and suddenly i was attacked by a freak of nature: A monstrous mix between a powerful pincer, a set of wings, a wire brush and an old car horn!
Almost dropped the duckling, but managed to gently set it down close by the others before being chased back to the screened-in porch.
I cannot release the ducklings to the open anytime soon! I am afraid for the other ducks: One false move, a duckling will peep and Katharina will turn a poor duck into minced meat! My left leg is full of bruises and scratches, how can this little duck be so strong?!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

On Sunday evening i was able to solve the mystery of the missing 8th egg: It was crushed in the nest.
There is a separate thread for the eggtopsy i performed on this egg, just want to keep any graphic pictures out of the duckling thread.
Here is the eggtopsy-thread (contains graphic pictures!):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...egg-solved-contains-graphic-pictures.1328710/

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Once the ducklings are old enough to care for themselves…

… I WILL KILL KATHARINA DUCK AND EAT HER !!!​

She drove me mad this evening: I was in town bought a new water-hose, new water bowl, new 3 gallon waterer and a 50lbs bag of cat-food…
And when i cam back home Katharina was out in the open with all her ducklings!!!
I shushed her inside, caught seven frantic ducklings who now believe that i am an axe murderer and set them back inside.
Went down to the garage to attach the new water hose, came back just in time to watch Kathy standing on the fence, holding it down and luring the ducklings back out!
Shushed her back in, caught four ducklings who now are convinced that i eat two duck eggs for breakfast every morning (which is true).
Prepared dinner for the ducklings and the ducks - again Katharina and five ducklings are outside, forced Katharina back inside, caught five ducklings who are no convinced that i eat life kittens for dinner (i don't!).
On and on went that game until she was out again with all seven kids! I had enough, caught her (and didn't eat her!) and threw her into the bedroom in the duck-house, then chased down all seven ducklings who now are convinced that i will turn into a black hole one day and swallow the whole planet. (I'm not planing that either!)

I blame the approaching thunderstorm for her attitude this evening, outside it looks like the inside of an industrial washer, it is literally raining cats and dogs here. - We barely made it inside before the light(ning) show began. But if she puts up this show every day now i guarantee for nothing… I'll grow claws and fangs…

 

[Texag87]

Once the ducklings are old enough to care for themselves…

… I WILL KILL KATHARINA DUCK AND EAT HER !!!​

She drove me mad this evening: I was in town bought a new water-hose, new water bowl, new 3 gallon waterer and a 50lbs bag of cat-food…
And when i cam back home Katharina was out in the open with all her ducklings!!!
I shushed her inside, caught seven frantic ducklings who now believe that i am an axe murderer and set them back inside.
Went down to the garage to attach the new water hose, came back just in time to watch Kathy standing on the fence, holding it down and luring the ducklings back out!
Shushed her back in, caught four ducklings who now are convinced that i eat two duck eggs for breakfast every morning (which is true).
Prepared dinner for the ducklings and the ducks - again Katharina and five ducklings are outside, forced Katharina back inside, caught five ducklings who are no convinced that i eat life kittens for dinner (i don't!).
On and on went that game until she was out again with all seven kids! I had enough, caught her (and didn't eat her!) and threw her into the bedroom in the duck-house, then chased down all seven ducklings who now are convinced that i will turn into a black hole one day and swallow the whole planet. (I'm not planing that either!)

I blame the approaching thunderstorm for her attitude this evening, outside it looks like the inside of an industrial washer, it is literally raining cats and dogs here. - We barely made it inside before the light(ning) show began. But if she puts up this show every day now i guarantee for nothing… I'll grow claws and fangs…