Just wanting to share

[ProudRedneck]

As some of you know I was quite excited about my rescued baby girl laying her first eggs and me struggling with not letting her be a Mom yet. Also, in Oct/Nov I discussed briefly that my Daddy had been diagnosed with cancer and that was the last I posted since. Unfortunately I lost my Dad three weeks ago on Jan. 21st. While I was at the hospital, staying day & night with Daddy, my SO was visiting in the evenings at the hospital and returning home to take care of the animals during the day.

The last time I saw my babies, Daffy was sitting on 15 eggs and attempting to hatch them. I candled them when I could but once Daddy went into the hospital, I couldn't monitor them anymore. I wasn't able to experience the joy of watching them hatch but thankful I was spared having to discover the ones that didn't make it out of their eggs.

Nevertheless, I am happy to be able to share finally that Daffy and Daisy are the proud parents of three little ones. Two look like Daisy (Dad) and one looks like Daffy (Mom)

Born January 15, 2023

Mom, Dad & babies having their first supervised time together today

 

[Ommy]

Awwww cute

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I’m sorry you lost your dad
Your babies are beautiful

 

[gtaus]

Sorry for the loss of your dad. I lost my father almost 5 years ago, and I still miss him. I'm just glad I had so many years with him.

Love those baby ducks. I always bought my ducklings from the farm stores. Is hatching 3 out of 15 eggs about what you can expect? I really don't know.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad

That little family is adorable Congrats

 

[ProudRedneck]

Sorry for the loss of your dad. I lost my father almost 5 years ago, and I still miss him. I'm just glad I had so many years with him.

Love those baby ducks. I always bought my ducklings from the farm stores. Is hatching 3 out of 15 eggs about what you can expect? I really don't know.

Thank you for the condolence.

For our situation, because of the crossbreeding with a Muscovy, hatch rate of 20% - 30% was right on the money. We actually had 4 hatch, but Daisy (Dad) killed one before we could separate him from the babies (lesson learned to do this a week before they hatch). We also had 2 others that made it as far as making an external hole for their heads but then stopped and died in the egg. Perhaps naturally or could have been because of Dad as well, we'll never know.

 

[ProudRedneck]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad

That little family is adorable Congrats

Thank you it was bittersweet the day they hatched, but since being back home they've provided me with distractions to keep me moving forward.

 

[ProudRedneck]

I’m sorry you lost your dad
Your babies are beautiful

Thank you for both

 

[Canadian Wind]

My most sincere sympathies regarding the death of your father. I know what that's like.

And on the flip side, congratulations on the lovely babies. I can't wait to see what they look like as they grow.

Take care of yourself, too. I had been wondering what had happened to you and the eggs. It is bitter sweet news that you bring, but I'm glad you're safe.

 

[ProudRedneck]

My most sincere sympathies regarding the death of your father. I know what that's like.

And on the flip side, congratulations on the lovely babies. I can't wait to see what they look like as they grow.

Take care of yourself, too. I had been wondering what had happened to you and the eggs. It is bitter sweet news that you bring, but I'm glad you're safe.

Thank you.

It's hard for me to figure out how to describe how I feel right now of losing my Daddy. I'm an only child and I lost my Mom (2 days shy) 4 years ago. With Mom's passing, it was unexpected, violent-looking & traumatic. With Dad's, I don't know how to describe it. Daddy attempted to go through treatments for me, at my request, I have always been such a Daddy's girl. He said from the beginning that he knew it wasn't something I wanted to hear but that he was 75 yrs old, he'd lived a great life, the only regret he had was that he didn't drive his new Corvette more often, he'd made his peace with God and he was ready to be back with Mom.

Dad was admitted to the hospital on January 11th diagnosed with neutropenic fever, caused by the chemotherapy treatments. Due to his immune system being non-existent at that point, he came down with COVID, that then turned into pneumonia. 10 days later I was saying goodbye. I struggle with being thankful that he tried for yet knowing he is where he would rather be and that's back with Mom. Dad's passing was unexpected as well but my need to make sure Dad wasn't suffering outweighed my selfish need to have him stay with me.

It's just been a weird. I don't know what I need to do to move on because I can't identify the feeling(s).

As for the babies, the one that has the Muscovy stance, I can definitely tell it will have some colors of the Silver Appleyard. Actually as I'm looking at all three of them, they all have brown SA adult feathers coming in. I am very interested in seeing what they will look like as well.