From tragedy comes growth

[fifenashia]

Update on the ladies

The duck and "Red" hen have been in their coop all day and have done well, Red even laid an egg for me! That's a relief!

I went down and got ducky to take her antibiotics and put wound spray on her bites. She seems to still be scared of me, but she wants to be friends... So I gave her some worms and left her be for a bit. I went back down after dark to check if she was still wet from the spray and antibiotics (she spills more than she ingests

) and she was still damp

So I brought her up to the house with the intention of blow drying her off. Instead as I get her to my bathroom, she totally relaxes and just lays in my arms while I stroke her back and talk softly to her. I swear we stood around talking to each other for a solid 30 minutes as she would quack and make her "uh-uh-uh" noise. By the time we were done she was much dryer and I think we bonded more which makes my night even better!

The babies are doing FABULOUS!

Another round of the duckling derby but only when I was NOT filming

Better luck tomorrow I guess. We also tried some greek yogurt and mashed up blueberries tonight. I think duckling Olive LOVES yogurt!! She gorged on water and then slimed me!!! EWWWW it was pretty gross, but her poops look normal and she is active so I don't think I need to worry too much yet.

Tomorrow, both ducks will swim (if they want to anyway). Pictures will surely follow!

 

[java girl 2]

see, I told you, you are a good mom!!!

ducky loves you too !!!

 

[fifenashia]

Thanks

I'm trying!!

 

[fifenashia]

What a great weekend so far! We introduced Olive the duckling to water yesterday and she took to it like..... well.... a duck to water

Afterwards she stood on my lap and preened and dried with her two chickie sisters close by. It wasn't long before all 3 were curled up in my arm sleeping (I admit, I crashed out for a few seconds myself) they were just so warm and content! This is definitely a better start than the last brood as far as friendliness!!

Red and duckling have a new expanded run that I have used (under supervision). I will upload pictures as soon as I can. It's just a small fence with garden netting. It holds the pool and can be rotated to different areas. I plan to expand it as paychecks come in. More stakes, better fence, electrical fencing perhaps....

Duck seems to be improving more and more every day! I have FINALLY decoded her quacks even as I have been spending a lot of time with her. When she makes this "uh-uh-uh uh uh " noises and bobs her head up and down I am pretty sure she is telling me that she is scared. She has this desire to trust me and be with me but she is terrified (and rightly so)

Red has begun laying again, we got another this morning! Duck has not laid since Tuesday, I am hoping it is just stress. I felt her abdomen this afternoon as I was putting her back into her coop and I didn't feel an egg, so I don't think she is egg bound. Love her heart I hope she gets to egg laying soon. We have completed a week of antibiotics and so I'm going to take her off them now.

Today's BIG project was to change the coop door, it was swinging IN and that was driving my crazy! So hubby took it off, trimmed it up and now it swings out!! The only problem is the gap at the top of the door, I think it is a bit big and it makes me nervous. AND we had storms move in and the drill died before we could get the locks on, so it's being held tight by some bungee cords.

This week the hardware should be completed and hubs is going to look at placing a block of wood in that gap for me. Next up... THE ROOF!

 

[java girl 2]

if you had your chicken and duck on meds do not eat the eggs !!!!

they will make you

 

[benjoycei]

your chicks are sooooooo cute. They are easy to get attached to

 

[fifenashia]

Thanks Java Girl, that's what our vet had said as well so the one egg Ducky had laid last week did not find it's way into the fridge. And Red's not on the antibiotics, I have been force feeding Duckie with a water dropper

Thanks Benjoycei! I think so too

They are coming around and acting less skittish each day. We spent quite a long time cuddling with them tonight. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!

 

[java girl 2]

So, did you get the ducking derby yet!!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Wow, Its amazing how attached we get to our birds. I struggle everyday... let my chickens out unsupervised? or leave them in? I can usually make my kids go watch them for a couple hours, and my pitbull will stay out there with them, she's my flock guard. I'm worried most about coyotes, and hawks. Both I've seen VERY close-by. Now I am having snake issues!! I've been forced to remove two snakes just this week!! And to let you know, I'm not a "comfortable" snake catcher. They scare the chicken poop out of me!! But I do what I have to do.

I just want to keep all my birdies locked up and safe, but I know they are not happy that way. The minute I open the door, they all rush out.

Maybe I'll just quit my job and stay home with the chickens..... ... SAHCM (Stay at home chicken mom)

I lost a favorite pullet in a heat wave last summer. She was our very first layer. I cried for a week. This spring we tried hatching for the first time. A teacher at school had an incubator and hatched a few chicks for us. The overall hatch went very badly, and the chickens we got from it required extra attention. We lost 2 out of the 5. Now we have 3 crosses on the hill... yes burials for each. I think I take it harder than the kids.

 

[therowdydog]

We don't have any chickens YET, as we are still working on our coop and trying to make it as secure as possible. We live on 10 acres and have about 5 that is cleared, and would be perfect for chicken to browse for bugs and other morsels, though unfortunately our neighbors have two dogs that like to wander over sometimes. They did start fencing their land, but their smaller dog can still get under it (it's a sweet, shy dog, but I don't know how she feels about chickens).

I would really love to let the chickens free-range, but would hate for them to become a snack! Dilemmas, dilemmas ...