I was surprised ... and graced w/a pair of Scovy mules this summer. Odin being the Scovy drake and Willow (r.i.p.) a Blue Swedish buff X. Odin had left Willow alone as long as I had Jack, a feisty Call drake, who met his demise by a predator about 3 wks earlier & I hadn't seen him breeding her after sooooo..... Imagine my surprise when 2 little ducklings hatch out of our head Scovy, Chloe's, nest a week before I thought they were "due".
I thought at first that I had just miss calculated the days....
A week later all the other ducklings hatched on schedule. Panda and Haley were HUGE in comparison for only being a week older & I knew Panda didn't quite look full Scovy but was awfully cute. Thought I'd share a bit of their "growing up" w/you all.
Thanks for looking!
Haley and Panda ... can u tell? off to the left front.
Panda after a bath..... look at the diff. in size fm sibling Scovys.
Feathering out nicely. At this point I still thought I had two males. Generally mules are 70% male so who would think w/only two eggs I'd be graced w/"pair"
Haley
Panda
Next to some Scovy hen clutch mates.
To the right ... Haley out front and Panda running w/ Pekin & Rouen hens to the left.
Haley takes after he mom, Willow, more. She just found her voice....
Her vocalizations are a cross btwn a Scovy hen melodious peep and a Swedish/mallard hen quack. Quite unique... and all her own!
Panda takes after Scovies more. His voice is a cross btwn a hiss and a mallard drakes quack.
He also has a beautiful long neck! Love that neck when he stands at attn. or stretches it out to reach something up high.
Panda also can fly to an extent. Haley can also but not to the extent of Panda. He has begun joining some pure Scovy young'uns a few feet up in the spruce branches. They are about 3' - 4' up in this pic. He doesn't usually go much higher ... though they do...& has a bit more trouble "walking" the limbs.
Panda and Haley are both molting now along w/Scovy clutch mates.... into their adult feathering so are looking a bit "pillowy" and unkempt.
I thought Haley was a male until just recently..... Panda started hissing a few weeks back, she didn't,... but still was unsure since they are so close in size. Haley continues to chirrup/quack though and doesn't fight... she just acts more like a girl. lol!! She comes up to me a "begs" for peas Just like the Scovy girls.
Thanks for looking!
Haley and Panda ... can u tell? off to the left front.
Panda after a bath..... look at the diff. in size fm sibling Scovys.
Feathering out nicely. At this point I still thought I had two males. Generally mules are 70% male so who would think w/only two eggs I'd be graced w/"pair"
Haley
Panda
Next to some Scovy hen clutch mates.
To the right ... Haley out front and Panda running w/ Pekin & Rouen hens to the left.
Haley takes after he mom, Willow, more. She just found her voice....
Panda takes after Scovies more. His voice is a cross btwn a hiss and a mallard drakes quack.
He also has a beautiful long neck! Love that neck when he stands at attn. or stretches it out to reach something up high.
Panda also can fly to an extent. Haley can also but not to the extent of Panda. He has begun joining some pure Scovy young'uns a few feet up in the spruce branches. They are about 3' - 4' up in this pic. He doesn't usually go much higher ... though they do...& has a bit more trouble "walking" the limbs.
Panda and Haley are both molting now along w/Scovy clutch mates.... into their adult feathering so are looking a bit "pillowy" and unkempt.
I thought Haley was a male until just recently..... Panda started hissing a few weeks back, she didn't,... but still was unsure since they are so close in size. Haley continues to chirrup/quack though and doesn't fight... she just acts more like a girl. lol!! She comes up to me a "begs" for peas Just like the Scovy girls.
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