Reese7383
Chirping
- Apr 10, 2015
- 270
- 22
- 96
So I've my ducklings from tractor supply about 6 weeks now. I knew 2 were runners and are 2 youngest are Rouen or mallard, they're 2 weeks younger but quite a bit smaller, our biggest duckling was black with a yellow chest and belly yellow tips to his wings and a hint of yellow to his face, his legs are black his feet yellow with black splotches, and a black bill. He's a lot bigger than the rest, he started feathering black and white but now his black id turning a beautiful blue green on his wings face and top of head. They guessed he was a black Swedish when I picked him. Is it possible he's a blue Swedish instead or a different breed? They don't have a lot of feathers yet just here and there. I'm shocked and thrilled by his color change. I love hoe brightly colored the cayugas are and that's kinda what he's reminding me off. He started feathering black then one day I was holding him and saw it had changed. Makes me wish id gotten another like him, but the original 3 I picked were all different colors so it'd be easy to tell them apart except the hubby picked the 2 Rouen or mallard, right now we can tell them apart by their faces one has 2 bold lines on the face the other one full line then a small line on each side of the bill like a big smile. My largest mystery fella ( he hasn't quacked yet so I'm assuming male, makes a cute whistle chirping sound) and my darkest brown runner are my sweetest 2. I always get happy quacks from my girl and she will jump and jump to be picked up and held if I'm sitting down she climbs in my lap, she'd rather hang out with me than her flock, they all love there faces rubbed and give affection back. I have absolutely adored raising my first ducklings. Even though they're messy its been worth it, they greet me with excited chatter when I get up and when I come in from work they're all standing up waiting for attention, they even way there little tails like dogs. I've always wanted ducklings, but I had no idea they could be so sweet and affectionate and enjoy human company, it's like they act like we are there parents. I'm not sure how old they were when I got them from tsc, they had just come in that day right before I came in so I was lucky to get first pick, the 2 runners and my mystery blue boy were friendly from day 1 they cried in the box in the car till I put my hand in then they called down and they've always jumped at us to be picked up, its like we bonded as soon as we got them to the car, the other 2 were more timed they'd run away screaming the first week but are now just as eager for attention but they don't seem to like being picked up like the others. I've read lots of posts from happy duck parents on here, I'm so happy I finally got to join inI've held off from buying them before because all I saw were pekin ducklings and I wanted something with more color, after we move where we will have a fully fenced in yard I may try to find a ancona, and id love 2 have a grey/blue runner and either a magpie or welsh harlequin, of course even with a fenced in yard they will still have a safe lot for night time or when we are at work, they're safety is top priority. If my blue duck really is a boy I need to find him a female closer to his size, they started off the same I didn't know he was going to outgrow them, these skinny runner girls are so cute and funny when they stand up
Welcome! I'm new to ducks as well. We just started with our ducklings, 7 in our flock. They vary in age. We've already established a bond, especially with the oldest. But it seems to me, none of them like "hand monsters". (We call it that when we go to pick them up.) Once they are in our lap they are quite happy, snuggling and crawling up to our faces. Eventually they'll climb down to eat or we get tired of holding them.
You can see my page here... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/968093/new-member-lots-of-pictures#post_15082168