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.......