Duck hormones
Aug. 16th, 2009 01:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trystinnI feel a bit sorry for our three drakes as their hormones have kicked in.
Little Bernie is doing his best to chase the ducks down, especially Luca, who is not only the fastest she's bowling pin shaped which complicates the whole process. As a Runner she can twist and turn on a dime, which a Campbell simply cannot. Mostly he just chases her about before falling down winded.
Brutus couldn't care less. He just stands around with his head pulled down tightly on his collarbone looking like a mafia bodyguard. He's too big and slow to run, he counts on sheer masculine presence and courting plumage for his loving.
And then there's poor Phil. As the youngest and beta-drake, he gets very little attention. Even Babs, the other Blue Swede, tends to prefer Brutus but this morning she curled up with Phil a bit of a ways off from the flock.
We've had a lot of brooding behavior but no eggs as yet. I worry that as the cooler weather comes in this will continue to delay egg laying. I've upped their laying feed, included oyster shell and a bit of dog food for additional nutrients. We're talking of switching out nesting areas, we'll see what comes of it.
Little Bernie is doing his best to chase the ducks down, especially Luca, who is not only the fastest she's bowling pin shaped which complicates the whole process. As a Runner she can twist and turn on a dime, which a Campbell simply cannot. Mostly he just chases her about before falling down winded.
Brutus couldn't care less. He just stands around with his head pulled down tightly on his collarbone looking like a mafia bodyguard. He's too big and slow to run, he counts on sheer masculine presence and courting plumage for his loving.
And then there's poor Phil. As the youngest and beta-drake, he gets very little attention. Even Babs, the other Blue Swede, tends to prefer Brutus but this morning she curled up with Phil a bit of a ways off from the flock.
We've had a lot of brooding behavior but no eggs as yet. I worry that as the cooler weather comes in this will continue to delay egg laying. I've upped their laying feed, included oyster shell and a bit of dog food for additional nutrients. We're talking of switching out nesting areas, we'll see what comes of it.
