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