Ducklies picture post

[trystinn]

Almost four weeks old now, the Khaki Campbell ducklings are still growing at nearly an inch a day. Given our weather here has turned cold and wet, I've made them a rain break by covering their old pen with a tarp so they can go inside and get dry. We'll see if they use it, mostly they really prefer to be in the Pond. Their mature feathers are coming in very quickly, you can see the subtle color variations along their wings. Until the feathers are fully grown in, they won't be able to sustain their body heat very well so they are still sleeping tucked in the hutch - now wrapped in blankets and tarp to hold the heat in.



Only a few days old, the new ducklings haven't hit their growth spurt yet. They are all supposed to be Rouens, but the yellows may be Indian Runners, possibly Faun & White. We won't know for a few more weeks, though. You can see how the yellow ducklings run around upright, standing while the banded, dark ducklings run around in a squatting position. It's all supposition. In any case, our Mystery Ducks are just as cute (but louder) than their darker siblings!

Comments

[laughter311.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, are they in your bathtub?! I want duckies now!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Yep, needed somewhere I could get the water hot enough for them - they are so little at this point, they needs temps in the 80s at least.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Must make bath time an interesting challenge. ;)

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Luckily, I have multiple bathtubs in the house. The trick is keeping Flash out of it, he adores hanging out in the bathtub at any time, especially so when there's ducklings in it.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Luckily, I have multiple bathtubs in the house.

Joykill. :P

[laughter311.livejournal.com]

Awww. I wanna play!

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you have 2 Rouens in there, and two of something else.

Rouens are both darker and more yellow than Mallard hatchlings.

All this duck stuff brings back memories. Sheesh, it's been 30+ years.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Ah, so my suspicions are well founded, eh? Good to have confirmation. I've got a call into the feedstore to contact their breeder to see what else they have on site that could have gotten mixed in the shipment.

As you can readily see - the yellow ducklings have dark masks and slight darkening on the back and side, collar, etc. But near as I can tell, that combination could be almost a dozen different breeds and/or colorations.

Oy. I don't do patience well.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Well I don't know nuttin' 'bout no runner ducks, but I bet they run reeeel good when they got a reason!

And no, you don't do patience well. ;)

We had a particularly stupid Rhode Island Red lay an egg in a mallard nest once. Hatched out and thought it was a duck. (Chickens are stupid and almost personality-free, unless roosters). Even swam with the rest of the ducklings. Called it Waders. Sadly, the little thing died before we got to see if grown up chickens could swim.

Me? I'll take the sheepers.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I'd love sheep, but it will have to wait until we have a larger property. It wouldn't be fair to the sheep - we've only a 1/2 acre and most of it is wooded. Gracie, however, would love it! She's zoned out against the brooder at the moment.

Oddly enough the internet has failed to provide a comparison by duck breed for ducklings. The yellows, for instance, have narrow triangular bills compared to the darklies. See, now that's the sort of useful info I have been trying to find. :)

[man-of-snows.livejournal.com]

HOW many eggs are you expecting? :) I am envious as hell.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Hard to say at present as I'm not sure how many females we have. Depending on the breed, each hen is capable of producing 4-7 eggs per week. So quite a few. I'm hoping to set up a subscription system for their eggs, then offer the rest to the sustainable living co-op here. Friends get first dibbs, obviously, those having helped build and upkeep get freebies. Duck eggs last for 3 months in the fridge, so they are great for Foodies.

So let's say I've lucked out (the Duck Gods adore me, etc.) and all 8 are girls - that's 1 egg per day for each Campbell (28) & Runner (14), say 4 eggs per Rouen (8) per week - that's a maximum of 50 per week. Obviously, individual hens will lay as they will - these are estimates, only.

That said - I'm really fairly positive I've got at least one Campbell drake (Bernard). Way too early to tell with the newbies.

The guys aren't necessary for egg production and frankly may be too problematic, which may necessitate separate pens until they are old enough to go to the processor (3 months). A lot of folks kill off their flock each year in the Fall for meat and begin again with a new flock in the Spring. I can't possibly see us doing that. The neighborhood kids would hate us.