The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: hexhammeasure on July 01, 2008, 11:19:52 pm

Title: Ducking the issue
Post by: hexhammeasure on July 01, 2008, 11:19:52 pm
Well would you believe it!!. We waited and waited for a duck to start sitting on a nest somewhere. And nothing.... so we put a dozen eggs in the incubator and ... yup you guessed it one duck hasn't come home tonight. Hopefully she'll turn up in  a month with all the little duckies in tow. maybe I'll have some ducks spare for christmas
Title: Re: Ducking the issue
Post by: hexhammeasure on September 12, 2008, 01:21:40 am
I don't believe it!! (in victor meldew style)
 8 new ducklings and they all appear to be ducks not drakes!!. Is this a record??
Title: Re: Ducking the issue
Post by: pigsatlesrues on September 12, 2008, 09:51:23 am
Well done you - I am gutted here - I found a nest of a dozen eggs here laid by one of our Polish hens, and at the 11th hour she has abandoned them. I am so annoyed because I have just had two broody hens which I kept in rabbit hutches during the incubations period and both hatched successfully.  They had crosses of varying kinds because we haven't had a chance to set up runs/houses exclusively for the different kinds, but the Polish were pure - all the eggs were identical. I didn't even notice her being broody, and we only found the nest because our friends who are staying  brought them in thinking they were newly laid.  They, I have to say didn't disturb her, they were well cold.  I had the awful experience of cracking one open just to see what stage they were at and at a guess I would say a few days off of hatching.  This is the second lot of Polish eggs we have lost.  The Turkey ate the last batch which is why I started putting the broodies in rabbit hutches. Oh well next year - it will come soon enough, and hopefully we will be more successful with our 'pures'.

Well done again anyway.

Kate  :chook:
Title: Re: Ducking the issue
Post by: Rosemary on September 13, 2008, 09:05:06 pm
Congratulations of the duckies.

Goodness, Kate, it's not your week for young things, is it?