Mamma's Little Ducks

Khaki Campbell ducks are not known to go broody, and as a matter of fact, it is rare for one to do so. I am fortunate to have had one raise 8 ducklings last year and this year, one with 7. I locked her in a hoop shelter with her nest so she could bond with the babies. Sometimes the mommas just forget about them and the time spent with just her babies helps the bond become strong. After a week, I let them out. There is a threshold on the hoop shelter that was too large for the babies to climb out of, so I made steps of wood logs, which worked perfectly. It is late in the season for babies, with only a few days of summer left, but she is not alone. The Muscovy girls just hatched their ducklings, nine beautiful babies, and one mamma hen hatched a single. She went broody with just a few eggs, but only one was hers. There is another hen with 7 babies a week old and still another duck sitting on a nest and 3 more hens as well. 

These little ducklings appear to be Rouen and Ancona crosses. There is not a single pure Khaki there. The white drake is looking on and making some comment about the new additions to the farm and mamma duck is scolding him. The babies are swimming in a tote lid, but the water has become muddy from the other ducks. It will be interesting to see how these babies turn out. Welcome little ones!