Hatching experiment - Time to make my Muscovy a mom!

[Miss Lydia]

I love them they are all precious

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

While I was drinking my coffee on the way to work this morning, I had a thought. I don’t think the chocolate duckling is a WH, although the egg was labeled as such. He/she looks more like a Khaki Campbell!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you dissapointed?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Are you dissapointed?

I was hoping for another WH, but I’m ok with a KC. I don’t know why I didn’t realize it earlier! I was so focused on bill color and just thought it was a male WH. Well, if it is a KC, it could still be a female, which is nice!

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

The 2 Rouens and the KC(?) are 1 week old today. The WH will be a week old tomorrow AM. Scary moment today. Mama was leading the babies into long grass, which I did not approve of. One little one was heading off on its own adventure, so I carefully picked him up to put him back on the lawn. I did NOT expect Mama to launch herself at me from several feet away like a crazed goose! She went to bite me, but bit her baby’s foot instead. It all happened very quickly, and I feel absolutely horrible! Little one limped initially for a minute but has seemed normal in the hours since then. Hopefully, there is no damage. Poor little guy! I got the point. No touching the babies!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Those mamas can sure be brutal. lol such precious pictures

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

No pictures today, but will take some tomorrow! I finally did the spring clean out of the stall, which I had been delaying while Mama incubated. Wow! I’m always shocked at the amount of bedding I put in there over the course of the winter!

Hopefully, Mama will appreciate her fresh and clean apartment! I still have to do the rest of the barn and I need to revamp the duckio to make it duckling friendly for once they are old enough. However, the stall was probably the worst.

All ducklings and ducks are doing well today. The one that Mama grabbed did not suffer any lasting damage. The little WH ate a piece of duckling crumble that was too big and had a brief issue, but was able to clear it and looked good this evening.

There is a new orange cat in the area that I will have to watch out for. People keep thinking it’s my old orange boy, but he stays inside except when he briefly joins me in the garden!

Mama and babies still only go out for short periods under very close supervision. Today was a bit chilly and rainy, as will be the next few days. I’m glad that mama keeps them cozy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

She sounds like a very good mama and you too. Next time we see them I bet we'll be able to see how much they have grown. It's always amazing to me.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Hanging out at the “playground” in the rain. The playground is a 1 foot by 1 foot puddle that Mama brings the kids to when they have too much energy and she needs a break!

 

[Miss Lydia]

How precious!!