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another missing duck

(4 posts)
  • Started 1 year ago by duskhunter
  • Latest reply from duskhunter

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  1. duskhunter
    Member

    Reluctant to post yet another missing duck post as I had to hastily edit the first when Mrs Campbell was found sitting on what I thought was 5 eggs which turned out to be 7, now 8 or 9.

    However, Dulcie, our tamest duck as the boys always bullied her when she first came. Went missing at bed time last night. She hadn't reappeared this morning which I hoped she would when the others were let out.

    Also so Peaches, who sat all day yesterday as she did the previous fight off Freckles, another female as she was far too curious about her nest. There was such a commotion that one of the Cray twins (boys) came to the rescue and pulled the offending Freckles out of the way by her neck to allow Peaches to sit in peace.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  2. m40mo
    Administrator

    oh dear Angela what a worry your ducks are giving you at the moment, dont know what to say that hasnt been said before,
    Its hard when they are used to free ranging but if you really want to let them try to hatch eggs I think I would be trying to confine them to a smaller safe area, its worrying not finding them but think it would be hearbreaking thinking a fox had taken them.

    mo x
    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. duskhunter
    Member

    Panic over. Dulcie appeared the same way Mrs Campbell did the other day, what a relief but I am almost getting used to things now.

    It surprised me that she only went missing just as it was time to go to bed and had been around all day.

    I only picked up one egg in the house this morning so I need to watch out!

    After having a tussle with Peaches, Freckles has formed her own nest just three feet away, laid her first egg in it covered it and gone off. The rushy leaves of the daylilies are proving to be popular as they hide the ducks and are cool.
    Haven't found Dulcie's nest yet. I will start to keep logs on what each duck is doing as they all seem to be 'busy'.

    Freckles tussle with Peaches confirms my earlier suspicions that the nest was communal as it is when they lay in their house.

    Even the two dogs who have been spayed years ago are rather hyper and acting as though they are coming into season - I wouldn't mind some of their energy!

    Not sure how far we will take this egg sitting - until I can't cope if it is like every other hobby in my life. I can see we will have to make seperate arrangements for each duck as they will all go for each other's babies, or 'team 11' courtesy of Katy's incubator goes for them.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  4. duskhunter
    Member

    Well, I found Dulcie's nest with 11 eggs and she sat for most of the day on them but has gone to bed with the others. Peaches has been sitting on her nest all day and then gone to bed with the rest.

    We haven't finished the ducklings new run yet as we had unexpected visitors and haven't the time to get new acommodation for the potential mums yet so I just removed the eggs fromn Peaches nest which she had carefully covered over. I remember putting about 4 in there myself to see if I could fool her into thinking she had already laid them. I should have known better, animals aren't daft - there are 16 eggs in her nest, nice and warm when I went to count them though of cvourse they will cool off overnight. Mrs Campbell is the same sitting all day on her 8 eggs I don't think she is going to lay anymore and they are a little smaller than Peaches who is a white runner.

    This cottage is called Duskhunter Cottage because there are two different kinds of owls here and bats but I am beginning to think it should be renamed duckhunter cottage!

    Posted 1 year ago #

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