Show off your babies for 2020

[RJKnott]

Yup the b complex has been great. He is still wobbly and can’t walk much. But he used to not be able to take 3 steps without having to lay down. He can walk about halfway across the yard if he wants to now. So it’s helping him build strength.

 

[RJKnott]

And I agree. I love just sitting outside and watching my ducks play in the pond then forage around the yard. It’s funny and relaxing

 

[pandorican]

I had my first set of babies hatch on the 20th! Mom did most of the work, tho throughout the hatch several went bad
Out of 11, 5 hatched.

A few questions for you more experienced folks. I’m not positive on the breed here, moms a blue Swedish and I THINK dad is the black Swedish , but there’s a muscovy that it also could be. Based on when she started sitting, I’d calculated a 28 day hatch date of the 20th (when they hatched) and so I figured I was safe with Swedes, as Muscovy mixes would’ve taken longer. However, they seem to be growing much faster than my adult Swedes did. (except the runt of the bunch, who is much smaller than the rest.) Also, their beaks seem different. Is it just me? can anyone tell?
lastly, she stayed with them for a few days and then was pretty much done. I moved them to a large brooder inside at night and put her in with them, (because they’re ”duck alarming“ for her and it breaks my heart) but after a few days she made it clear she was done so I put her outside and she almost immediately started laying again!

Is that normal? I feel like her body probably needs a rest. I don’t know if they’re fertile but if they are- should I take them away and incubate them so she doesn’t go broody again?

She’s 7 and was raised mostly as a house-duck so I’m rather attached to her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Take the eggs unless you want more ducks. And brooding is hard on them so probably best she doesn’t brood again. They sure are pretty babies

 

[Texag87]

day 15 for 4 and 16 for 1. They are starting to master the art of projectile poop.

 

[Maddog_photog]

Thanks y’all now were are yours? We want pics!

Two Pekin babies, not so little anymore, expecting two mallard youngins in a couple weeks though!

 

[Isaac 0]

How sweet!

 

[pandorican]

Take the eggs unless you want more ducks. And brooding is hard on them so probably best she doesn’t brood again. They sure are pretty babies

Why thank you! I’m oddly a bit ‘proudof them, despite mama duck (*Ducky* so original, I know!) doing all of the work.
I mean, I did have to climb under a thorn-filled blackberry thicket to check on them and remove the bad ones.
Yes, the nest this morning now has 3 eggs
(And also now has a random half of a plastic Easter egg she found somewhere that I noticed this morning right before she laid egg #3)
One more question- If I give them to the neighbor farm to be incubated, should I wait until she’s done laying the batch, so they can all be started at the same time? Or bring them over as she lays them?
sorry for all the questions, I’m new to the whole fertilized egg thing. I’d honestly thought she was done laying for good last year, before the male came of age, she’d stopped during her big molt and then didn’t lay again for over a year.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is hilarious she is serious if she has a half plastic Easter egg in her nest. lol

Let her finish laying so who ever incubates gets them all started at once. Or what ever neighbor farm wants to do. Most people like to have them all start at the same time though.

day 15 for 4 and 16 for 1. They are starting to master the art of projectile poop.View attachment 2175806View attachment 2175808View attachment 2175812View attachment 2175817View attachment 2175822

They are adorable. My 2 well mamas 2 are 2 weeks old now.

 

[Ratchnick]