Hatching experiment - Time to make my Muscovy a mom!

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Awkward feathering time! Also, some possible proto-quacks were heard this AM

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful even in awkward feathering in time.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Testing… haven’t uploaded videos in a while and my tablet is on its last legs.

If you can see it, what do you think? Seems promising!

Edited to add: Thoughts at an early 3 and 1/2 weeks - Daisy(WH) seems likely to be a female, Bubbles (Rouen) has some promise too, Chester (KC?) is up in the air, and Apollo (Rouen) seems 99% likely to be male.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I believe you have yourself a female

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I believe you have yourself a female

Hooray! Thank you! It was nice of her to “declare herself” so early. Someone else is making similar sounds. I can’t tell if it is Chester or Bubbles (likely Bubbles). I have tomorrow off from work, so I will observe more closely!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

4 weeks old! How are they so feathered already?!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

The whole family was together for a moment… until Mama evicted Aunties Matilda and Remi and told them that it was duckling swim time

 

[Miss Lydia]

They have gotten so big and Beautiful!!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Thoughts 1 month in:

1) It’s a little early, perhaps, to be sure, but I think I have a 50/50 split between drakes and ducks. It appears that Daisy and Bubbles are likely females, while Apollo and Chester are likely males. I will only be able to keep one male. I’m thinking I will keep an eye out for a good home for one, but will only really press the issue if (when) one becomes more difficult than the other.

2) it has not escaped the notice of Aunties Remi and Matilda that two of the ducklings are Rouens. Remi would like to add to her Team Rouen. Mama would like her babies to love her and only her. One of the Rouen babies has shown interest in Remi and Matilda. It will be interesting to see what happens as Mama allows them to become more independent. Will I end up with two flocks? If so, will it remain Mama + babes vs. the Aunties? Will the Rouens decide to defect to join their Aunties? Will they eventually become one happy family? Remi quickly became the head of the mallard derived crew when she joined our family. She has quite a dominant (for a female mallard-derived duck) personality, so it will be interesting to see how things play out.

3) I want to add small amounts of different foods/treats so that the babies don’t get stuck thinking only one thing is food. They are currently on a mix of two duck grower feeds, and have already shown an appreciation for mealworms and watermelon. They seem to be big enough to handle peas and greens now?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

General Remi watches for threats while her second-in-command Matilda assesses the new recruits.