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| The Mama Duck Team with the first of the ducklings. |
The ducklings started hatching on the last Monday of July.
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| One day old. If you look closely, you can see three little duck bills. |
There were three the first day, then three more the next day. On day
three, Dan counted four more. The next day they were out, and the count
was seventeen. It's hard to tell because when they're out, they're all
over the place.
First outing. It was brief, but everybody got a chance to see the new babies.
Despite how mean the chickens used to be to the ducks, they seem to have
learned some respect since The Squabbles. All chickens watched the ducklings from a respectful distance and steered
clear of wherever the ducks went.
While they were out, Dan cleaned out the broken shells and three unhatched
eggs from the duck nest. Later, after evening chores, he told me that
the ducks refused to go back to the tidied up nest. He had to put one of the
eggs back in it before they would return and settle the ducklings down for the
night.
Next time, I'll give you an update on the baby chicks and turkey poults!
Barnyard Babies: Ducklings! © August 2022
18 comments:
How wonderful to see those little treasured babies! I love ducks, and I am very happy to see you doing so well with them. They referred to me as the “ crazy duck neighbor”, when we lived in Florida. Lol ! If we could get our pond to hold water, I would certainly be having ducks again! Did I tell you that I love ducks? Have a perfect week! We are battling poison oak blisters… not a bit fun!
Wyomingheart, good to hear from you! No fun about the poison oak. Have you tried aloe vera on the blisters? It's not a cure, but it really helps with the itching.
Wow, what a bonanza! I'd say you are back in the Muscovy business again! Congrats!
Mama Pea, Muscovy business is about right. Not sure what we'll do with them all! My freezer isn't big enough.
Wow! That's a lot of bills to feed. They are so cute.
It is! They are :)
Suddenly I am fighting the urge to raise some ducks.
Ed, your girls would love that! Ducks are about the most entertaining poultry there are.
How cute! New babies are so much fun. I can waste a day just watching them. Congratulations!
Henny, it's never a waste. :)
Thank you for the pictures, Leigh. Baby duckling pictures are not a bad way to start out a Tuesday.
TB, :)
I love baby ducks!!
I love ducklings more than chicken chicks (tho I love them too, and poults and goose babies...alright, I'm just a sucker for the babies)
17 is a great hatch.
Congrats on all the babies.
:)
WolfSong, thanks! It's been a number of years since we've had ducklings running around. The same for chicks. Our poults are still too young to lay, but I'm looking forward that maybe next year.
Wow I had no idea Ducks would leave that many eggs at a time! Congrats on all your beautiful babies
Nancy, thanks! This is the second pair of Muscovys that we've had share a nest. The first hatched 21 eggs together!
I just love watching ducklings follow their mother around. I remember once when I was taking my girls to school, we saw a young girl walking down the street with about 7-8 ducklings following. I still remember that scene about 35 years later. Such fun. Thanks for all the cute pictures.
Jean Ellen, that's a wonderful memory. It's amazing how they do that. I'm glad ours are bonded to their mothers instead of one of us!
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