Congrats everyone on their successes and so sorry for those that have had some struggles.
I have a story to share about one of the ducklings from my recent hatch
I woke up around 8:30 Sunday morning and poked my head out the back door and surveyed the yard and creatures. One of my rabbit bucks glances my direction and pokes his nose toward to the hole in his pen hoping I'm on my way out to greet him. My vision scans closer to see that a lot of the ducks (hatched in March) are circled around the pool. Sharp look in the water and I see one of the 15, ten day old ducklings in the pool!
"SH!%"
I throw on my boots (naked still) and run out the door when I notice a dark object bobbing up and down in the water. Lazily a little beak is dragging along the surface of the water and my heart breaks. Numerous and colorful words scream through my head and tumble out my mouth. Dave yells from inside, "what's wrong!?!" I toss the energetic but struggling duckling out of the pool and scoop up the lethargic one.
I stare at it, watching for how much life may be left.
*Gasp*
5 seconds later
*Gasp*
Poor, limp, little body in my hands. I rinse off its mouth and shove its beak in my mouth and give a gentle blow. Not a blow really, just breathing out. I have the soaked body tilted, head down in my hand hoping for trickles of water to escape its beak. Nothing, but *gasp* every few seconds.
I can't bring myself to kill it. Hoping that with a moderate inversion on the bench with its head over the edge, the water will just work its way out.
I finished up my chores in the back, still naked. Sadly walked into the house, shamed, defeated, and saddened. I dress for my 10 hour shift at the hospital and leave for the day. I get home late in the evening and beeline for the back. Neglecting to greet my excited dog. He follows me into the yard and I toss a greeting at Dave, laying on the bed.
I look at the bench. No duckling. I'm now convinced that either Dave buried it or the dog sneaked a snack. I count the ducks. 15. I count the ducklings. 15....
Wait, 15?!? Wait a tick... I count again, in groups of three like I always do and get, 15. I count a third time, my heart racing, my mind second guessing my eyes. 14! Dam*!% One more count.
15. "Dave!!!!! It's ALIVE!!!!"
Screen door flies open, "What?! How is that possible? I didn't see it on the bench and thought you took care of it before you went to work." (The animals and the backyard are obviously my realm)
He counts, gets 15. I don't know how, but the lil guy is alive. I can't even tell which one he is now.
I've since equipped the pool with better steps and tossed a duckling in to test it out. It works. I also isolated their water from the other ducks. I think that's why they went for the pool in the first place. Their water source had dried up. I really don't know how they got in the pool either as its very tall. But, where there is a will, there's a way.
Below is my new duckling feed/water station.
Take care.
They're so cute and fluffy. I love watching them dry off...
