I wasn't able to post Sunday because the internet was down. I actually enjoyed it. We get so reliant on internet - have to check the weather, the news, and BYC, of course - and then when we don't have it it's almost frightening. We've had to guess on the weather, do homework with paper and pen (not that I mind, I prefer doing it that way!), and hatch out a duckling without help of the sages here on BYC.
Yes, one of the duck eggs hatched, Sunday. It had zipped a pretty good size hole in the shell, but then it was stuck. Its feet were behind its head. So I decided to help it a bit by removing some shell so it could use its feet, and it ended up just sliding out of the shell. I put it under Hilda, who was still brooding, but when I came out to check on it about forty minutes later, it was dead. I don't know if I killed it by "helping" it, but it didn't look too healthy to begin with. We named it Josie and buried it beside Helen.
Hilda, Winnie, and Matilda are still sitting on twelve eggs. I know one is a dud but I don't know which. They are due to hatch at some point this week. I hope we'll have better success. I wonder if the age of the female who laid the eggs matters - 'cause these girls are just under a year old.
Jenny is teaching the Buggers to perch. They snuggle under her, just like Viv and Dolores did when they were little. I named them Honor and Liberty. Thanks for the suggestion
@N F C
Evadig had either a stroke or a seizure a few days ago. She was lying on my bed when suddenly she sat halfway up and began whining. I tried to comfort her 'cause she's been having trouble with one leg but then I realized she was paralyzed. So I laid her down only to see she was unresponsive. It was awful seeing the blank stare in her eyes. But she woke up after a minute or two, though she couldn't respond to me for awhile - until I said, "want to go in the car?" (that's her absolute favorite phrase) and her ears moved just a little bit. Well, she got better slowly after that and was her normal self by the time six hours had passed.
Man, I'm full of bad news tonight! Hopefully I'll have something better to report come Wednesday!
Josie
Jen with her children
Prudence
Eva resting on the grass
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