Flock dynamics

[Canadian Wind]

Spent some time sitting with the ducks, and everyone was really... subdued. That's the only word I can think of. Even my buddies, Mist and Cloud, seemed a bit leery of coming too close to me.

With the departure of the Muscovy Alpha Male and his favourite concubine, as well as one of the younger drakes, plus four of the mallard-type drakes, things are quieter. I barely hear any quacking from the hens (I say as one suddenly pipes up).

After a bit of time of me sitting there, and them realizing I am not going to chase them and abduct them, my two senior Muscovy hens began bossing the younger ones around. I'll be keeping an eye on everyone and am very interested in how this will play out.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Spent some time sitting with the ducks, and everyone was really... subdued. That's the only word I can think of. Even my buddies, Mist and Cloud, seemed a bit leery of coming too close to me.

With the departure of the Muscovy Alpha Male and his favourite concubine, as well as one of the younger drakes, plus four of the mallard-type drakes, things are quieter. I barely hear any quacking from the hens (I say as one suddenly pipes up).

After a bit of time of me sitting there, and them realizing I am not going to chase them and abduct them, my two senior Muscovy hens began bossing the younger ones around. I'll be keeping an eye on everyone and am very interested in how this will play out.

View attachment 3253909

Such pretty ducks. I am amazed that you have grass under them. Mine have not had a stitch of grass in their large pen forever. Nothing green stays under their feet, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Such pretty ducks. I am amazed that you have grass under them. Mine have not had a stitch of grass in their large pen forever. Nothing green stays under their feet, lol.

Same here but my chickens are the culprit they'd scratch up the world if they could lol

 

[Canadian Wind]

Such pretty ducks. I am amazed that you have grass under them. Mine have not had a stitch of grass in their large pen forever. Nothing green stays under their feet, lol.

You haven't seen the feeding and pool area! LOL

I must admit, we haven't had to cut the grass once all summer, though.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Haven't posted anything in a while, so decided to do an update. My new ducklings are almost a month old now, and are doing well and growing. I've named the Barred one Gem (since my other Barred is Jewel), and the Magpie Chocolate is Jasper. The rest have also been given names, although I can't tell them apart enough yet to figure out who's who! The Whites are Topaz and Quarts, and the Chocolates are Garnet and Ruby.

Last week, I decided that the white drake I'd gotten (as well as one of his sisters) was going to a new home. After all, I didn't need any more drakes, and the person who took them in has a lovely little farm where he will have all the girls he wants! I also had a Moment of Reason and decided to let the three black ducklings go there, too.

My bottomless pits decided they did not have the will power to resist the duckling food in the enclosure and knocked it down, setting Foster Mom and Babies loose in the yard. Then they decided that dominating Momma was a Fun Thing To Do. My grandson came running over to let me know and I put a stop to that quickly. Thanks @Miss Lydia for the technique of subduing a Muscovy drake! It came in handy. Momma and Babes are in a different, sturdier enclosure now. They sleep in the coop with the others, but inside a crate.

Things are settling in, new dynamics have formed. Of course I keep rocking the boat introducing new chickens now. Well, one new chicken. A little EE cockerel. Very skittish, never handled, but he's starting to learn how things work and not be so shy. He's gentle with the girls, so far, and after a small neck-puffing altercation with my Polish cockerel, that never resulted in any fights, he's calmed down.

I've been debating bringing some of the ducklings in to get them more used to me, but will reserve that for when I start letting them have free access to the actual coop yard and can sit with them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So beautiful

 

[Painted Calls]

Haven't posted anything in a while, so decided to do an update. My new ducklings are almost a month old now, and are doing well and growing. I've named the Barred one Gem (since my other Barred is Jewel), and the Magpie Chocolate is Jasper. The rest have also been given names, although I can't tell them apart enough yet to figure out who's who! The Whites are Topaz and Quarts, and the Chocolates are Garnet and Ruby.

Last week, I decided that the white drake I'd gotten (as well as one of his sisters) was going to a new home. After all, I didn't need any more drakes, and the person who took them in has a lovely little farm where he will have all the girls he wants! I also had a Moment of Reason and decided to let the three black ducklings go there, too.

My bottomless pits decided they did not have the will power to resist the duckling food in the enclosure and knocked it down, setting Foster Mom and Babies loose in the yard. Then they decided that dominating Momma was a Fun Thing To Do. My grandson came running over to let me know and I put a stop to that quickly. Thanks @Miss Lydia for the technique of subduing a Muscovy drake! It came in handy. Momma and Babes are in a different, sturdier enclosure now. They sleep in the coop with the others, but inside a crate.

Things are settling in, new dynamics have formed. Of course I keep rocking the boat introducing new chickens now. Well, one new chicken. A little EE cockerel. Very skittish, never handled, but he's starting to learn how things work and not be so shy. He's gentle with the girls, so far, and after a small neck-puffing altercation with my Polish cockerel, that never resulted in any fights, he's calmed down.

I've been debating bringing some of the ducklings in to get them more used to me, but will reserve that for when I start letting them have free access to the actual coop yard and can sit with them.

View attachment 3266294

Love the chocolates!

 

[Canadian Wind]

About 7 weeks old now. They have access to the fenced in yard. Of course, my luck seems to still be bad and it looks like four drakes and two ducks. *sigh*

Two of the Chocolates (including the one with the cap) are male, and the other (on the left) appears female. The Barred and one of the whites also seem to be male. Good for the Barred, I wanted a male! I also like having Chocolate drakes, since depending on who I breed them to, I know any Chocolates will be female, but one can have too much of a Good Thing. If that one White does turn out to be male, he'll need to be rehomed. I was hoping for some Blue or Chocolate feathers on their heads, but both are Black.

In order from the top: Pudding, Blue Pied Drakeling, Strudel, Blue Self Duck, Dulce, Brown Magpie Duck, and Cookie (hiding behind Latté), Black Pied Drakeling. Those are the previous ducklings I'd gotten, growing nicely!

And finally, the three current Littles: Nutmeg, the Welsh Harlequin, and Walnut and Pecan, the Khaki Campbells. After Nutmeg's sibling Mace died, I scoured the want ads for ducklings of a similar age. Finally found the KC and drove an hour and a half to get them. Of course, when I got home, someone posted some Muscovy ducklings for half the price and much closer. *sigh* They'll be raised inside over the winter, since I was stupid enough to try to hatch eggs at this time of the year!

The rest of the flock is doing well! My sweet babies have turned into moody teenagers/ducknagers. I miss cuddling with Mist and Cloud.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are so pretty, but I have a question, Do You Think You Have Enough?

 

[Canadian Wind]

NEVER!!!