Imminent new arrivals???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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Anonymous

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Ok, so further to my previous question regarding my broody ayelsbury...
She's continued to be a diligent sitter and become somewhat aggressive lol.
Today, I distracted her with some tasty table scraps and swiftly grabbed two eggs from her enormous clutch.
I then sprinted with them to my darkened bedroom and candled them under my drawing light.
Comparing them to online images ref duckling mass to air sack ratio they look to be on day 25 or there abouts. Popped the eggs back, she's none the wiser.
Now it certainly looks like we've beaten the odds and my weekly feed bill will be going up-so excited.

Main concerns are:
Alot of neighbourhood cats- do I need to keep the family penned up till they're of a certain age?
The pond- can the new babies swim well straight away or should I cover it and offer something shallower
Is ordinary starter crumb ok? Do they want some veggies too like mum?

Sorry to be a nuisance but really don't want to make any mistakes.

All advice appreciated.
 
Hi!

Personally, (other people may disagree, it depends what you feel better doing), I would deffinitley pen them up, especially if shes going to have quite a few ducklings as a straggler is easily caught by the cats!

I wouldn't allow them swiming water, not for the first week, but other people would, its only what they do in the wild, but i would worry something bad happend, as i worry ALOT lolI would just allow mum a storage container she can get her head into for time being.

I feed organic chick crumbs, coccsidiostat free. (first day or two i wet it down a bit so its mush and easy to eat!)

And yes introduce veggies, I usually start with sweet corn at about 1 -2 weeks old as its a bit too big to swallow!

Good luck!
 
Thanks so much.
I feel more confident now. I think I'll cover the pond and keep them penned when I'm not around to rescue any 'daft' ducklings.
Once again,
big thanks :)
 
I would keep them penned and not leave them free in the garden, even if you are around. Crows and magpies will take ducklings the minute your back is turned and it is heartbreaking :(
 
Wow. I didn't know that other birds would do that. I'm more worried about crows than the cats now. Thanks for the warning, I'll keep 'em in till they're too big for a cat or crow.
 
If I rear ducklings with their mum, I keep them in a secure large pen with a shallow tray with pebbles in for the ducklings to paddle in. I try not to let the ducklings get their backs wet for the first week or so. Crows, rats, cats etc will all be predators to the little ducklings
 
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