The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Good News! - Tweedledee Duck is back outside, now with seven ducklings following behind. The little yellow duckling was accepted.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Duckling Emergency‼
While working on the duck-run and the you-howl trailer load of woodchips yesterday i also closely monitored two of Tweedledee's remaining eggs that had pipped externally. Both ducklings seem to be healthy and strong, performing their eating motion to show that they were busy absorbing the yolk into their bellies.
Returned the trailer this morning and when i came back Tweedledee was outside with her six babies, so i decided to quickly peek into her nest. - Fortunately!
I found a full fluffed up yellow duckling that must have hatched this night, just a little bit too tired to run with momma and the siblings and i found an ice cold, barely moving duckling that was stuck in the egg. Not sure if it was shrink-wrapped, misaligned or just too weak.
I warmed up the egg with the duckling inside in my hands and it began to chirp and tried to break free again. I took it inside, bklowing warm air over it and helped it to get out of the shell. The little one was as cold as an ice-cube:


A couple of minutes later and the little one would have died. I'm not sure if Tweedledee rejected this one of if this was just an accident. Right now she is back in the duck-house with her babies, sitting in her nest. So i assume duckling #7 is alive and happy under its mom, playing hide an d peek with the siblings.
For now i'm keeping the little one warm, snug into a cloth, clipped to the inside of my t-shirt. I would love to return it back to momma and siblings, but i am not sure if they will accept it...

Poor little thing! So glad you were there for the rescue. Any chance of firing up the CCI again until it's warmed up? Or at least the heat lamp? You can try to sneak it back in with the others once it's stronger. Ducks don't count very well.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Poor little thing! So glad you were there for the rescue. Any chance of firing up the CCI again until it's warmed up? Or at least the heat lamp? You can try to sneak it back in with the others once it's stronger. Ducks don't count very well.

No need for the CCI: The little one is sleeping and chirping happy wrapped into a small towel and clipped to my T-shirt, sitting right over my heart and is comfortable warm.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bet once it is moving around good mama will take it if you put it down outside while she is foraging. She may take to it inside too. My Muscovy accepted a duckling hatched by one of my chickens she only had one of her own though. Be worth trying

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I bet once it is moving around good mama will take it if you put it down outside while she is foraging. She may take to it inside too. My Muscovy accepted a duckling hatched by one of my chickens she only had one of her own though. Be worth trying

Good Momma⁉ - That duck does not accept anything from me! She treats me like the duck swallowing-whole monster swinging multiple axes and throwing knifes...
I tried to give them some diced tomatoes yesterday and haven't been able to locate the plastic bowl since then. Its likely somewhere on the dark side of the moon.
Everything that comes from me is rejected by Tweedledee.
I assume that includes little ducklings too.

Not sure, if the little ducking wasn't rejected: It is the smallest duckling i have ever seen, just 36 grams(!) and it is still curling up like it is still in the egg. And straightening the neck seems to be painfully...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Once it gets on it's feet you put it where the other ducklings are and quickly walk off but not far so you can pick it up if mama rejects it. You don't want her seeing you with it. You want it to look like it has always been with them all.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I bet once it is moving around good mama will take it if you put it down outside while she is foraging. She may take to it inside too. My Muscovy accepted a duckling hatched by one of my chickens she only had one of her own though. Be worth trying

Or, if like mine, will *steal* others' ducklings!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Once it gets on it's feet you put it where the other ducklings are and quickly walk off but not far so you can pick it up if mama rejects it. You don't want her seeing you with it. You want it to look like it has always been with them all.

Good plan, but can ducklings be thrown 30 feet without being injured?
Tweedledee won't let me come closer than ~30 feet before calling her ducklings and retreating. And if i walk into the duck house while she and the babies are in, i am attacked with stomach acid , poop and laser beams. Katharina Duck was tame compared with her!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Or, if like mine, will *steal* others' ducklings!

... after killing the humon who dared to keep a duckling in his hand...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Bad news! Tweedledee has lost a duckling. - One of the older ones disappeared during the day. It was one of the crested ones, so i assume the curse of the crest hit again...