Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[CelticOaksFarm]

Field fencing anchored at the bottom

 

[Iain Utah]

I just find it ironic. I read all the posts about people worrying if they let their ducks free range, the ducks will run away. But, I can't get my ducks to leave a fenced coop yard, and if I pack them up and drive them deep into pasture, they run all the way back to break back into a fenced yard.

ETA: Plus, my african flock won't leave my front yard either!!!

 

[DutchChic]

If they were raised to know where their feed source is, they won't go far. My geese and ducks know when I do chores, and are right there waiting for me, and I open free-range with no fences to keep them in.

 

[Iain Utah]

They don't even like to leave the coop. First I tried opening gate for all ducks to free range in pasture. They wouldn't leave. Then I tried luring them out of yard with food. They will eat it then run back into coop yard. With the boys, we drove them down to pond and have been going down twice daily to feed them there. They ate this morning, then ran up to bust into coop yard and all are now sleeping inside the coop.

 

[DutchChic]

It's possible something scared them during the night. When I first moved here, I had 2 pairs of Runners that wouldn't come in at night, but were always right there for feeding time. Over a span of a week, 3 were taken in the night, and the last drake came running home and hasn't left the geese since. That's Daffy duck....he turned himself into a goose, lol.

 

[DutchChic]

Ok..so I did morning chores, and let birds out and such. I have 2 eggs under the Call hens that are due next day or so. I went to check on them and one of the eggs was out on the wire. I grabbed it, and I guess the action of it being pushed out onto the wire caused it to crack below the air cell line, and the egg felt pretty cool. I brought it in, and saw movement, though it wasn't very strong movement. I could tell it was internally pipped, though. Stuck it into bator while I warmed up the hatcher. I just checked it to see if it was still alive to move it to hatcher and it must have warmed back up and is all over in the air cell! It's in the hatcher now. The busted end didn't go through the outer membrane, so baby has a good chance. I'll probably go grab the other egg in a bit and bring it in, too, before it rolls out on the wire. Don't know why those silly girls shifted the eggs to the doorway.

 

[Iain Utah]

Sad about your three losses, but your survivor duck is very smart! Don't think anything scared them, other than the weather has turned bad. For now, it appears like my cayuga drake is the only one that has problems with community living. My coop has two entrances on each side. I can split the coop/yard in two so I can separate my cayuga pair?

Glad you were able to save your call baby egg! Hope it hatches ok!

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

"Morning" all!

Three ducklings just went home with some good duck parents. I've got my one hatchling from yesterday which apparently needs a bath. It's still crusty from hatching, so that's my order of business for later today.

I feel awful today: it's official, I have a sinus infection. I want to go back to bed, but I am still waiting for the man to come get the car.

I keep getting the weird feeling that I've met the folks who bought my ducklings before. I've probably crossed paths with them at some point.

 

[DutchChic]

Yeah, that was 3 years ago. Daffy not only thinks he's a goose, he thinks Mother Goose is his woman. I've seen him try to pull the gander off of her, and he thought he was the baby daddy when she was setting. He slept next to her at night while she was on eggs, lol.

Yeah, I brought the other egg in...it's no doubt internally pipped, as well. I hope both hatch, and that one is a butterscotch.

 

[DutchChic]

"Morning" all!

Three ducklings just went home with some good duck parents. I've got my one hatchling from yesterday which apparently needs a bath. It's still crusty from hatching, so that's my order of business for later today.

I feel awful today: it's official, I have a sinus infection. I want to go back to bed, but I am still waiting for the man to come get the car.

I keep getting the weird feeling that I've met the folks who bought my ducklings before. I've probably crossed paths with them at some point.

Sorry you're sick....totally sucks. Take care of yourself and get well