Duck Whisperer
New member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2013
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Hi evryone.
Been a while but a traumatic one. I haven't posted since last year so am back again.
Some of you may remember George and Davina. White Bibbed call and an abandoned yellow duckling who grew to be a beautiful white female duck.
Well things have moved on since then. Davina hatched 2 eggs who grew and flew away. But sadly during the chicks growing up she went through the molt. She still had blood feathers and while they weren't fully grown she took to the sky and returned to the waters she would have lived in last summer.
George however was abandoned and lonely. He muddled around for 6 weeks standing in the cooling summer breeze with no one to splash with. He even didn't mind being scooped up for a hug and a head rub. I searched for a same breed female where I bought George from. But they had a bad year for chicks at the farm and I became desperate. Eventually I located a farm with some mixed breed females and my search was over.
I came away with Matilda, a white miniature crested call. She has a slight pom pom on her head but is still a darlin. But she is a very untrusting duck and a buggar to catch.
Sadly they got on so well Matilda bizarrely laid 15 eggs and hatched 7 in February!!! We wasn't prepared for this and didn't think they would hatch during such cold months. Within 24 hours 5 died and 2 we rescued but one passed away and 1 survived till she was ready to go out with mom and dad.
But recently she nested up and made it very difficult to check on the nest in the coop. Anyway 3 weeks ago I checked while she was sitting after 4 weeks and spotted 3 little heads. Excited, I called to the wife and proclaimed our new additions. 24 hours later the wife called me at work when Matilda came down the ramp with 15 little ducklings. The back garden is getting crowded to say the least 3 weeks on. So after all this drivvle heres some pics of the family. 6 yellows, 6 bibbed and 3 probable natural mallard coloured.
Been a while but a traumatic one. I haven't posted since last year so am back again.
Some of you may remember George and Davina. White Bibbed call and an abandoned yellow duckling who grew to be a beautiful white female duck.
Well things have moved on since then. Davina hatched 2 eggs who grew and flew away. But sadly during the chicks growing up she went through the molt. She still had blood feathers and while they weren't fully grown she took to the sky and returned to the waters she would have lived in last summer.
George however was abandoned and lonely. He muddled around for 6 weeks standing in the cooling summer breeze with no one to splash with. He even didn't mind being scooped up for a hug and a head rub. I searched for a same breed female where I bought George from. But they had a bad year for chicks at the farm and I became desperate. Eventually I located a farm with some mixed breed females and my search was over.
I came away with Matilda, a white miniature crested call. She has a slight pom pom on her head but is still a darlin. But she is a very untrusting duck and a buggar to catch.
Sadly they got on so well Matilda bizarrely laid 15 eggs and hatched 7 in February!!! We wasn't prepared for this and didn't think they would hatch during such cold months. Within 24 hours 5 died and 2 we rescued but one passed away and 1 survived till she was ready to go out with mom and dad.
But recently she nested up and made it very difficult to check on the nest in the coop. Anyway 3 weeks ago I checked while she was sitting after 4 weeks and spotted 3 little heads. Excited, I called to the wife and proclaimed our new additions. 24 hours later the wife called me at work when Matilda came down the ramp with 15 little ducklings. The back garden is getting crowded to say the least 3 weeks on. So after all this drivvle heres some pics of the family. 6 yellows, 6 bibbed and 3 probable natural mallard coloured.
