Introducing the 2012 Duckling Set

Very tricky to take a decent photo I am afraid because you can't really get close enough and the zoom on our camera is not really good enough. I think we may have to save our egg money and buy a new camera so we can get some really good shots.

Lady duck has hatched nine little beautiful ducklings (despite my disturbing her a couple of weeks ago) so we are now all full of optimism again, hoping that this time she can successfully rear them. We have already had our first safety trauma on day one! Last year I replaced both ramps to the duckhouses with a new length of log roll which I attached a float (empty milk container) to the bottom of so that the ramp would rise and fall with the level of the pond. I have to say that they were working perfectly until the float from the green duckhouse decided to slip its moorings andf float off elsewhere. It has been on the to do list ever since but never been given priority status, until now of course. It was quite obvious that without the float the ramp was far too steep for the newborns and even though the mother was inside calling them, none of them could get up the ramp. So, no Sunday Dinner for me until I had got my waders on and sorted the problem. I couldn't do a full repair because it was getting dusky and I didnt want to disturb mum so much that she would come back out of the house. I managed to effect a temporary wedging arrangment to lessen the angle of ascent just enough to allow all them to get in (hopefully).

After dinner, and now pitch black, I went to investigate only to find two ducklings still swimming about and crying, evidently unable to work out what they were supposed to do. (well it was their first day out you know) Strangely when I shone my torch at them they swam towards me as if I was mum? Using the torch as some sort of guide ( or possibly by complete random chance) one more managed to get up the ramp to mum but the last one just could not be persuaded. Now I do love the ducks, but frankly not enough to get my waders on when it is pitch black and cold and start chasing a minute one round and round the pond. I am sure that could only end one way (me drowning) so I decided to leave the little one to it and let nature take its course. I am delighted to say that the next morning all nine were in tact so, so far so good.

We have decided, as the duck run is still also on the to do list (its a hell of a list let me tell you!), that the best way to keep them safe is to keep them in the water. To this end we have removed the ramp that leads on to the lawn in the hope that they will not be able to get out until they have reached a certain size which will hopefully deter some of their predators. They are able to rest and preen and sun themselves on the floating "island" that we have in the pond so no worries there and they seem to be getting enough food by chasing mosquitos around and literally jumping out of the water to catch them. I really need to video that so you can appreciate their incredible talent considering their youth.

We will keep a close eye and let you know how they get on. In the meantime must get that run built! Any comments please post them at the bottom of the blog so all can see!

Thank you

New Recruits at the Egg Factory

Here are the four newbies. They are settling in well but have not started laying yet. All of them are becoming a little more comfortable with us except for Phantom who is extremly noisy every time we go near and runs like the wind. I think she is firmly established at the bottom of the pecking order and is used to being chased around by the rest of the brood so doesn't want to take any chances.





Honey - Breachwood Blacktail

  
Last weekend was quite warm so I got the waders on for the first time this year so that I could get into the pond and do a bit of duckhouse maintenance. The roofs are covered in felt but the edges have always been covered with black masking tape which doesn't stick more than five minutes and then ends up flapping around all winter. This year I decided it was time for a more permanent solution so I cut and painted some shiplap to fit in an upside down v shape on both ends of the roof. Looks much better and will last much longer hopefully. I did the blue house first and then went over to the green house, not realising that our lady duck is sitting on eggs!! She nearly took my head off on her way out, I nearly fell over in the pond I was that surprised! Suffice to say I did not then do any more work to the house and I am please to say that, despite my most unwelcome intrusion, she has returned and is happlily sitting again. This means that I need to get on with building a run to protect any ducklings that do hatch when they venture out of the pond. Hopefully this bit of assistance will allow them to develop into adults this time round. 


Phantom - Mimram Magpie

  Also on the project list is the building of a new multi compost bin so that we can start upping our production ready for the vegetable patch later in the year. I have a rough design in mind but need to do some proper sketches so that I get the measurements right. I have also done a bit of garden design this week for marginal planting around the front edge of the pond. We have a few plants there already but are considering something a little more adventurous so I have done a nice little colour drawing, with plant names and everything! Just hope that we can make the reality as nice as the vision that I have in my minds eye. I am also going to insert a marginal shelf in the water so we can grow a few varieties that like to be in the water rather than at the edge. I am rather hoping that might also keep the ducks from trampling and sitting on the plants as they do now. It drives me quackers!!


Candy Floss - Hertfordshire Honey White

 

Mimi - St Pauls Walden Sussex

I must publish this blog now as it has taken me so long to finish that I need to start a new one so that all the exciting updates (well they are exciting to me!) can be published. Tune in next time.......