Our baby ducks are here

bargainaddict

The babies have all spent the day swimming and sunbathing. Dad has been really good and not pecked them or chased them this afternoon, so hopefully he has accepted them now. DD has spent almost the whole day out there. She didn't come to church so she could make sure they were ok!

Anyway, we are working on the photobox thing and taken loads of photos this afternoon.

PP how are yours, do you have any more?

bargainaddict

Hope this has worked!! Should be photos of day 1 first hatching.

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/3179500

Benidormqueen

Awwwwwww they are beautiful,:A

Penelope_Penguin

Oooh, lovely. Almost as cute as mine!

We now have 4, 3 ginger, 1 black. However, the black one and youngest ginger have trouble standing. DH has googled this and there's a known condition of chicks called "splayed leg". The web site indicated that breeders might see this once a season. Maybe one of the parents had a recessive genetic condition, who knows.

DD very worried. She's sat with them all day doing English homework.

Fingers, and anything else crossed, please. As a friend's mother keeps telling us, if you want to have livestock, you have to be prepared for dead stock. Sorry, Jill, I'm not nearly prepared yet!

We have 6 eggs still in incubator, but as this is day 23 (21 days usually for hens) and not a peep, not looking too good. Bit odd though, as they are all a different breed. DH will contact supplier tomorrow. They've been excellent up until now.

We are all absolutely delighted that we've got this far, and will be doing it again. Our incubator is borrowed, so DH has asked for one of his very own for Christmas,

bargainaddict

PP that sounds like what was wrong with our first one. have you agreed on any names yet. Our neighbours (who we got our chicks from last year) have got 7 chicks as well. They lost one this morning. Apparently this is really normal but so hard to get used to.

DD is ok now. It's been a lovely day, tidying the garden. We got rid of loads of rubbish, mowed and strimmed and watched our babies. Brilliant.

Going to try and get the pictures we took today of them on the pond. If yo thought the others were cute, wait till you see these!

Kazonline

Lovely thread! I hope you do get those other pics online - thanks for sharing the photo's, they're really cute.
Kaz x

bargainaddict

More photos added of our babies on their pond. Our fave is the all black chick. Our daughter took the close up of the yellow chick.

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/3179500

mistresslenore

Oh, they are so gorgeous! I want the black one!
Keep us updated as they get bigger
xx

bargainaddict

I've a feeling if its female we will keep it. Can't wait to see what colour feathers it will have. They are all so fast it's hard to keep up with them. they watched as mum and dad ate slugs today, mega disgusting!!

bargainaddict

How are your babies doing Penelope Penguin? Do you have any more?

Ours have spent their first night with Dad and all seems to have gone well. They are out on the pond now, enjoying the sunshine. In a few weeks, when they are big enough to cope with the move, we are moving them onto our larger fish pond.

I spotted a seagull on our shed roof this morning, he was watching our babies and next doors, thankfully the pens have wire over the top to prevent seagulls and wild birds/cats getting in. We had one in our garden a few years ago and he got loads of our new goldfish. He flew off at the sight of a demented woman in dressing gown walking towards him at 7.30am!