Them darn snakes.

[SouthernPride]

I had been worried about my ducks with the oncoming spring weather. I have two sitting on nests. My muscovy is on day 27 and she has a mix of eggs under her. Well, a snake go into the coop just now. The other female, a very vocal black swedish was sounding the alarm. I ran out there to find the snake had a hold of Smooshy, the muscovy. As I approached, the snake let go and I was able to trap it under a food bowl. Smooshy waddled as fast as she could back to her nest. I know she was attacked at the nest and she led the snake away. But, not without one casualty. I believe this one was a blue swedish. Coop needs some fortifying.

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

Is the mama ok? Was she injured badly?

 

[SouthernPride]

I don't think so but didn't want to traumatize her anymore than she already was by picking her up. This was not a poisonous snake. I saw a little blood but it is very possible that Smooshy grabbed the snake and took it out of the coop, then the snake may have latched on to her. She is much too big for a snake to eat, other than a Boa of course. Thank the Lord we don't have those up here.

She threw the broken egg out the nest and then started to eat the yolk. Thought that was interesting.

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

I am glad she was not hurt!

 

[SouthernPride]

Well, it turns out that the snake was a rat snake and it didn't bite Smooshy. She grabbed the snake and took it out of coop! Amazing.

Plus, her first egg hatched this morning. Day 28! Can't wait to see it. She is sitting but I can hear the peeping under her and she threw out an egg shell.

 

[DUCKOBSESSED]

Love to see pics when they all hatch.... (and she lets you near them!)

 

[Mvpitzki]

Hate to lose one that far along

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, it turns out that the snake was a rat snake and it didn't bite Smooshy. She grabbed the snake and took it out of coop! Amazing.

Plus, her first egg hatched this morning. Day 28! Can't wait to see it. She is sitting but I can hear the peeping under her and she threw out an egg shell.

Make sure ducklings and mama are in a secure place, i had a blk snake get one of my 2 day old ducklings last year pull it through the fence and had it wrapped up ready to swallow when i went to check on them, adrenalin surging i grabbed that snake and unwrapped it from that lil duckling not knowing if it was even still alive and bashed the snake against the feeder house. the lil duckling had an injury to it's leg and i kept it inside over night just to be sure it was okay, gave it back to mom next day. My dh still calls it snake bite. He name is Henry. Snakes are just waking up and are hungry, I would never kill a snake intentionally but this one had to go. I really like knowing snakes are around they eat mice and such but they have to leave out flocks alone.

 

[Mvpitzki]

Update on hatchings?

 

[SouthernPride]

Smooshy and her first born!! So fluffy and odd looking markings.

She tossed out another eggs that was partially hatched. Duckling was alive so I brought it in. I pealed away some of the shell and noticed blood a lot of the yolk left. I put it in the incubator and kept it moist. Baby was a bit active and very vocal so I really had high hopes. Well, 24 hours later and it died. Smooshy knew something wasn't right with this one.

She has another under her that has pipped. She is such a good momma.