The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

@Supercow - From 2022, two days old ducklings in a kiddie-pool brooder on straw:

 

[Canadian Wind]

A toaster for ducks....
View attachment 3804960

Just be careful of the height. A few of my chicks got their backs burned because mine was too low.

 

[Jenbirdee]

am i gonna need any heat source for Trudy’s goslings or does she take care of that? i guess they need a small waterer and feeder in the room but that’s probably it? this momma hatching out her own eggs is a first for me

 

[Luv Ducks]

am i gonna need any heat source for Trudy’s goslings or does she take care of that? i guess they need a small waterer and feeder in the room but that’s probably it? this momma hatching out her own eggs is a first for me

Trudy should be able to take care of that for you. I would give them duckling starter to eat though and like you said a small waterer that they cannot get in and drown. I had a small bucket in with my ducklings and one jumped in and drowned once. I learned the hard way that with no water proofing and so young they can drown very easily. I would think the same would go for goslings. I don't know if they make gosling starter or not but I would for sure start them out with something made for them. It won't hurt Trudy a bit to eat it either as my Hens all had duck starter for weeks while their ducklings were growing and they were all just fine.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

am i gonna need any heat source for Trudy’s goslings or does she take care of that? i guess they need a small waterer and feeder in the room but that’s probably it? this momma hatching out her own eggs is a first for me

Try … to install anything alien in or close to a Momma bird's nest.
If you survive you have learned a very valuable lesson: Never mess with a Momma bird ever!
If Trudy is a good Momma she will provide her goslings with everything they need. That includes food and water. Remember, the first two to three days little baby birds from precocial species, like waterfowl do not need to eat and drink. After that, Momma will leave the nest with her young and never come back.
If Trudy really trusts you, you can install a small feeder and waterer in the vicinity of her nest before any of the goslings has hatched. This way she is used to having these things around and knows they are no danger for her offspring. Herding a bunch of goslings is stressful enough, she doesn't need to be disturbed by a fancy new plastic bubble with a red base…
If it is safe for Trudy to leave - wherever she has built her nest - let her decide when the time is right to go out with her offspring. Afaik Ganders do care a lot for their offspring, so let him meet the little ones.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

More and more tasks in the garden are being finished:

The pallet-bed for the peppers (mild, hot and weapons-grade) is done:

The experimental pallet-bed for the Zucchini and Cucumbers is done:

The hill turned out to be too steep for »cinderblock-legs«, so i had to improvise. The to hill-site compartments are two habanero-pepper plants as a defense against wabbits. Into the two compartments under the trellis i have planted straight8 cucumbers and black-beauty zucchini:

​

And the drakes rasped: »Thank you for planting fresh salad for us to eat!«

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

And i finally was able to try out my new battery powered lawn mower. Everybody is mocking me for buying a 13" (33cm) lawn mower for a 40 acre (16 hectar) property!
What nobody understands is that i want to use that little mower just to keep the grass short around the shrubs in the berry-garden and the garden-paths. Today i proved this tiny little mower was the right choice:

 

[Supercow]

Haha, 16 hectares, that's a lot of grass [fainting] One single hectare here (one acre orchard+house and the rest is a field currently). Battery mowers are really user friendly though.

Here's an idea:

Giant tortoises make excellent lawn mowers​

https://www.latimes.com/science/la-...giant-tortoise-lawn-mower-20130708-story.html

We came close to the freezing point overnight after reaching 30 C (86 F) in the previous days. Wild, wild swings. All plant development including trees is 3 weeks early compared to previous years. Black locust starting to flower in the last few days, normal schedule would be second week of May. Hard on bees since we're in a too-cold week now and they will probably miss black locust forage entirely.

Collecting laying eggs for a lady who wants to incubate 50. Despite the temperature rollercoaster production is more or less regular. Wife came from her trip and when the ducks heard her voice they immediately rushed the fence like QUACKQUACKGIVEUSPEAS!!!

@WannaBeHillBilly are you familiar with haskap (lonicera kamchatica) ?

 

[Jenbirdee]

Try … to install anything alien in or close to a Momma bird's nest.
If you survive you have learned a very valuable lesson: Never mess with a Momma bird ever!
If Trudy is a good Momma she will provide her goslings with everything they need. That includes food and water. Remember, the first two to three days little baby birds from precocial species, like waterfowl do not need to eat and drink. After that, Momma will leave the nest with her young and never come back.
If Trudy really trusts you, you can install a small feeder and waterer in the vicinity of her nest before any of the goslings has hatched. This way she is used to having these things around and knows they are no danger for her offspring. Herding a bunch of goslings is stressful enough, she doesn't need to be disturbed by a fancy new plastic bubble with a red base…
If it is safe for Trudy to leave - wherever she has built her nest - let her decide when the time is right to go out with her offspring. Afaik Ganders do care a lot for their offspring, so let him meet the little ones.

yes they trust me i have been going in and sitting in the chair in the corner. i will try to make small container water like miss lydia does and put it in asap . i’m worried about how much weight trust has lost already she is only day 11. i don’t see her eat much when she goes off nest. all the beautiful spring grass is getting so long i may have to mow

 

[Jenbirdee]

Try … to install anything alien in or close to a Momma bird's nest.
If you survive you have learned a very valuable lesson: Never mess with a Momma bird ever!
If Trudy is a good Momma she will provide her goslings with everything they need. That includes food and water. Remember, the first two to three days little baby birds from precocial species, like waterfowl do not need to eat and drink. After that, Momma will leave the nest with her young and never come back.
If Trudy really trusts you, you can install a small feeder and waterer in the vicinity of her nest before any of the goslings has hatched. This way she is used to having these things around and knows they are no danger for her offspring. Herding a bunch of goslings is stressful enough, she doesn't need to be disturbed by a fancy new plastic bubble with a red base…
If it is safe for Trudy to leave - wherever she has built her nest - let her decide when the time is right to go out with her offspring. Afaik Ganders do care a lot for their offspring, so let him meet the little ones.

she can leave but she has to come back
it’s the goose room they sleep there at night it is a little garage type room addition to my house
The previous owners built it to the side of the house for cleaning deer because they were hunters so it doesn’t have electric in it or heat, but it has nice windows and a painted cement floor upon which I put a thick layer of pine shavings. During the day, I leave the door secured in partly open position, but at night I lock it closed for them to be safe.