The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Mallows Flock on July 30, 2012, 10:01:52 pm
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Now I know I am normally on here wittering on about sheep in one form or another, but tonight I have a duck query.
I have kept ducks myself in the past but have never bred them (only chickens) and whilst looking after a friends house one of her clutch of ducks (that wasn't meant to hatch until next week after she was back) has had 2 hatchlings. they are absolutely gorgeous but the female duck is STILL on 10...yes ten...more eggs and being a fairly small Khaki Campbell cannot cover all the eggs and the duclkings so the poor little ducklings were getting fairly wet. The nest is in th emiddle of a day lily outside! The duckies are only 36 hours old.
I couldn't take any eggs out as I suspect those may hatch too, soon and I guess my friend probably should have taken some eggs away much earlier so have brought the chicks home in a cardboard pet carrier, loaded up with straw and have put a little duckling mash and crumb in with enough water for them to cover their heads in. I have dipped their beaks til they drank.
Only problem is I have lent my big brooder and infra red lamp out so have not got access to that! I currently have dried them off with a flannel and they are warming up in my bra. yes...IN MY BRA!!! They have happily nodded off. Now this is not a permanent residence :eyelashes: just a warm place til my radiator heats up so I can put the box beside it..
Do you think they will be ok kept inside my house in loads of fluffy straw without a heat lamp for the next week or so?
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Well if nothing else you made OH Laugh - even in the house we've always used a heat pad of sorts for the ducklings to move to if they get cold and as you've discovered they do like it warm - any change of digging out a hot water bottle to put in the depths to keep them warm - on time we used coke bottles filled with water as an emergency measure and they stayed hot/warm for quite a few hours - good luck with the wee ones :fc: :fc:
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sometimes, its the best place for them! Had piglets down mine.... ;)
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Thanks so much for that... 2 Hot bottles being filled right now and luckily they have nice fleecy covers to make sure duckies don't get burned.
Glad OH had a laugh....it's actually a very contented feeling having ducklings in your lingerie! LOL!
Coke bottles are a cracking idea.
I take it these ducklings will need to be coming round all day with me in the car/to clients for the next week or so so I can keep topping up their hot bottles!Ii already have a reputation for being a little bit nutty when it comes to pets...this is not going to help me dispel that view. LOL
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sometimes, its the best place for them! Had piglets down mine.... ;)
OMG...there is defo no room in mine for PIGLETS!!!! The ducklings only just fit! hahahah!
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sadly, some of us have less to put in a bra.... the piglet were prem kune kunes though - so pretty small!!
And actually, less in the bra & more inside the shirt, as they were rather scratchy & dribbly! :D
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I've warmed newborn baby bunnies, guinea pigs and kittens down mine. Definitely a good place for them!
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I dread to think what I've put down mine over the years, the last batch was a little of pinky rabbits :-[ :innocent:
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Yep, I've done the baby rabbits down the bra trick. Have also taken hypothermic lambs to bed with me when there has been no other choice. When they start to warm up the pee!!
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Oh, the advantage of having a large bosom. Chicks in one cup, mobile 'phone, car keys and cash in the other :D :D
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.... or a small bosom & a large bra!
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they should be fine in a box in your house at this time of year with drinking water and duck crumbs (not chick crumbs!) or hand-cooked porridge! Extra warmth is good though ;) :&>
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What a bunch of mother nature hippis you all are :D
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;D ;D :wave:
could not comment on the bra issue - I only wear one when I go into public where it's not likely I'll be dealing with baby animals :D :D :&>
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They only had to be in the box overnight with a hot bottle and radiator as I remembered I bought an ace brooder off The Bay of E last year as a spare. it's only small and will last a week or 2 for them size-wise but has vents, built in ceramic lamp etc etc. One of them is very strong but the one that was absolutely drowned is probably not going to make it despite the booby-snuggles it had. It is quiet. it's eyes are closed. Its chest heaving and it is pretty stiff in ints body! Darn shame!
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it so sad each time but nature's way. You did your best! :bouquet: :&>