Will We Have Ducklings on the Farm?

[Miss Lydia]

That number 3 is similar to what I did. It has a gate so they are completely off limits but everyone can see each other. Now that my two ducklings are 7 weeks they still on their own go in there to sleep an I put the gate up an latch it.

That looks good. I'm bummed that I have to work around her as she is sitting. That will certainly stress her out some.

I did it with Dolly she didn’t budge.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Given that today could be Day 24, when do you think it's prudent to lock Martha into her space and provide food and water? Should we wait until she stops coming off the nest? I've heard that a mama duck won't leave the nest at all in the last 24 hours, but I have no idea if that is true. I'd like her to be able to still get a bath and run around for a bit each day as long as that is possible. Thoughts?

I waited until the duckling hatched.

 

[Beccazon]

I did kind of number 2 and the same with a small portion of run. Mine free range all day so the rest of the run is open to free will use. They exit the big back door in the morning for now as babies use the main lil duck door. I did it the day I saw the first pip but wish I had sooner by a week or so.

 

[3bird]

I waited until the duckling hatched.

With our long ramp, I worry a bit about the duckling taking a tumble.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you put something along the sides so the duckling can only go up an down not over the sides?

 

[3bird]

Can you put something along the sides so the duckling can only go up an down not over the sides?

Potentially, but you know what fans ducks are of changes like that...lol...I can run a power tool or lawn mower and need to shoo them out of the way, but leave a rake inside the run, and you'd think there was a bear!

 

[3bird]

Yesterday we answered the question posed in the title of this thread. The answer is "no," we will not have ducklings on the farm this summer.

Yesterday morning when we went out to release the beasts, Martha was downstairs in the run with the other girls ready to go out. I checked the nest, and there was no egg. There was some smelly moisture in the nest, and smelly cracked shell on the cobbles in the run, so I'm guessing we were dealing with a dud. I cleaned out the whole nest and dumped it and then put down new straw. Martha did not even give the nest another thought all day yesterday.

Here is a short video of her this morning:

She worked like a champ, and we're sad for her that is did not work out, but we're thrilled that she seems to be entirely over it, and is back playing with the flock!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww bless, it’s a good thing they don’t have human emotions and bounce back quick. There’s always next year !