Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[Miss Lydia]

Lost a rouen drake to a predator last night. I'm thinking it fits the profile of raccoon. It reached under the tractor, grabbed the poor boy, pulled his head and neck out, gnawed it a little bit and left it like that.

First loss to a predator in 3 years of duck keeping. I feel really awful.

Lucky for us, the attack wasn't on our main run or secondary run. Makes me at least feel good that those are more secure. It looks like the gap that the predator used to reach in was made by the ducks noodling around in the mud the one day it rained this week. Corrected the issue with cinderblocks around the outside of the tractor. Little more work to move it, but I don't plan to be running a buffet.

sorry

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

sorry

Thanks for the hugs! I've gotten so used to everything being fine in the morning that it was a pretty bad shock finding my little boy like that. He was just getting to be breeding age.

 

[qwackers]

Poor thing, hope he didn't suffer for long.

Bummed out the Cayuga is too old. Yeah maybe I'll try advertising.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the hugs! I've gotten so used to everything being fine in the morning that it was a pretty bad shock finding my little boy like that. He was just getting to be breeding age.

I can't imagine.

 

[Marty1876]

Miss Lydia!

Quackers!!

Everyone!!!

Hi all! I'm sorry I've been off. We've had unseasonably cold and wet weather, and in it I've managed to get into a little scooter accident. (eyeroll) I'm OK, and glad to be back home and online! IT seems like weeks... Oh wait, yep, it's been weeks.

Hugs!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Hi Marty! Been missing u!

 

[Marty1876]

Hi Holly!

Say, that's a nice egg on your avatar! Whom is the lucky goose mama?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

That egg belonged to a mixed breed, Pekin x... That gal could lay some huge eggs!

 

[Marty1876]

Wow, no kidding! Was she a Jumbo Peking? I thought it was a Sebbie egg, honestly. They lay the smallest goose eggs, and some are about that size. My Jumbo Peking was a real big girl. She was seriously the body size of a small sebbie, but short duck legs, and smoother feathers. I think they weigh about 1 lb apart.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Might've been Jumbo. All three girls here tend to lay in the same nest, so its hard to tell. I have pics over on the Broody Thread of last week's hatch. Their mom has them out wandering right now. Have to go check on them.