Opening up the Poultry Palace last Friday morning I found three hen eggs in the last remaining duck nest, vacated - I assumed - for morning feed and ablutions. So I removed the hen eggs, in so doing noticing a couple of broken duck eggs. At precisely which moment I also heard a distinct hissing behind me. Turning, I was happily surprised to see mother duck with three little ones jockeying for position underneath her! There was no way I was going to get near mum so equally no way I could move them all to the safe pen. Panic. Going off to visit Mangel's ancestors. Leaving them roaming around the Poultry Palace was bound to lead to dead ducklings.....squashed, drowned, pinched by magpies..... Only thing to do was surround them all with the baby chicks enclosure to keep them secure for 
the weekend after which they could all be moved. Gave them food and water. On our return on Monday discovered mum had deserted her chicks. In the manner of mother ducks - if the chicks can't follow where she goes, she goes without them. Tough. But maybe she reckons if they can't follow her they won't survive anyway. So, we have three orphan ducks. Which today have moved to the safe pen and are very healthy and well - if just a little shy!
the weekend after which they could all be moved. Gave them food and water. On our return on Monday discovered mum had deserted her chicks. In the manner of mother ducks - if the chicks can't follow where she goes, she goes without them. Tough. But maybe she reckons if they can't follow her they won't survive anyway. So, we have three orphan ducks. Which today have moved to the safe pen and are very healthy and well - if just a little shy!Returning from Austria we also discovered several newly hatched chicks -- the incubator was running a degree or two over the 100 (probably due to th
e unpredictable swings in weather) so they were a couple of days early. Never a good thing. But 10 have survived and are looking strong and healthy - and are certainly making enough noise for such tiny creatures.
e unpredictable swings in weather) so they were a couple of days early. Never a good thing. But 10 have survived and are looking strong and healthy - and are certainly making enough noise for such tiny creatures.The wild birds have been at it too. Rocco has a just hatched blackbird jigging up and down, trying to fly, in his stable.
Ritz has a nest of 4 just-hatched swallows. And Max has a bunch of 5 swallows who ha
ve just about left the nest and will probably be scheduled for flying lessons tomorrow if the weather is fine!
ve just about left the nest and will probably be scheduled for flying lessons tomorrow if the weather is fine!Perhaps the birds think that summer is on the way?
Perhaps they think they'd better get on with it in case it isn't?
Who knows.
But it drives the dogs mad having all the chirrupping little things around! They jus
t want to try and catch them all.
t want to try and catch them all. Not Gunner of course - cos he's trained.....!
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