The four Rouen mother ducks sat on three nests, two together on one and the other two on their own. They synchronized their nesting so that the ducklings would hatch at the same time and they did, 42 of them. Of course, the mother ducks had no idea whose belonged to whom so they are trying to take care of them all. Already 10 have been lost to various episodes, some to the geese when they got too close, some left behind and they got cold and expired and who knows why the others did not make it. I guess that is why they have so many.
But today, the mother duck with the white on her had a tiff with the other mother ducks and she picked up one of the ducklings repeatedly and threw it down, the same one. It was a little yellow duckling, so it will be white and the only white duck on the farm is the white Khaki Campbell, so it is safe to assume that it is at least cross bred Khaki. I watched the whole thing from the window of the skid steer with a huge bale of hay on it, so was powerless to help the little duckling. Finally the disagreement ended and the little duckling tottered a bit, but was able to walk.
The last thing Robbie and I did tonight was to close the sheep pen and there was a duckling peeping. Robbie found it and sure enough, it was the little yellow duckling that had been so badly mistreated before. He was weak and cold and alone. I picked him up and cuddled him in the palm of my hand to warm him, but it is not looking good. He is in the porch in a Rubbermaid tote with a hot water bottle to snuggle up to and a bunch of wool to simulate another duckling. I fried and egg for him and gave him some pellets, but he showed no sign of wanting to drink or eat, so I left him huddled in the corner next to the hot water bottle. I am going to heat it again for him before I retire and hope he will make it through the night, though with that very rough treatment it does not appear he will pull through. Poor little duckey.
But today, the mother duck with the white on her had a tiff with the other mother ducks and she picked up one of the ducklings repeatedly and threw it down, the same one. It was a little yellow duckling, so it will be white and the only white duck on the farm is the white Khaki Campbell, so it is safe to assume that it is at least cross bred Khaki. I watched the whole thing from the window of the skid steer with a huge bale of hay on it, so was powerless to help the little duckling. Finally the disagreement ended and the little duckling tottered a bit, but was able to walk.
The last thing Robbie and I did tonight was to close the sheep pen and there was a duckling peeping. Robbie found it and sure enough, it was the little yellow duckling that had been so badly mistreated before. He was weak and cold and alone. I picked him up and cuddled him in the palm of my hand to warm him, but it is not looking good. He is in the porch in a Rubbermaid tote with a hot water bottle to snuggle up to and a bunch of wool to simulate another duckling. I fried and egg for him and gave him some pellets, but he showed no sign of wanting to drink or eat, so I left him huddled in the corner next to the hot water bottle. I am going to heat it again for him before I retire and hope he will make it through the night, though with that very rough treatment it does not appear he will pull through. Poor little duckey.
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