The Cottage Smallholder
stumbling self sufficiency in a small space
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
6:53 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Bought two more ducklings at the market this morning to keep baby Bob company when she moves outside. They are about the same size. After a little pecking by baby Bob they have all had a swim in the kitchen sink and are now snuggled together sleeping in the brooder. I have prepared the new duck house ready to put them in tomorrow. They need more space now and a deeper 'pond' to swim in. I will start with a washing up bowl then move on to a toddlers paddling pool before they graduate to the full pond. The new house has a secure run attached so they can get used to grass and meet the other ducks whilst still protected. Hopefully with other ducks to play with baby Bob will not be so attached to me. Continuing the Bob theme they are Bobina and Bobette!
Trying to enjoy life as it is
7:21 pm
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
Offline
Oh that whole post made me smile, Aly. Any chance of some pictures of them?
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
7:54 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
8:20 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Have managed to put a picture on Facebook.
Trying to enjoy life as it is
8:27 pm
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
Offline
Seen them already Aly. They are fantastic. Thanks. 
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
6:59 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
This morning I moved the trio out to the new house. They have tucked themselves into the straw in a huddle. I hope they will venture down the slope to the grass and mini pond. They have lots of room here so will be much happier. Time to pack away the heat lamp for a while. Bit like putting away the first clothing of your new baby once outgrown.
Trying to enjoy life as it is
8:01 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Ducklings doing well and looking more like ducks now.
Mrs Bob has been laying her eggs in a nettle patch for the last week. When I rounded the ducks up last night she was missing....she was sitting on the eggs. There is no way she could safely sit for a month, the fox would have found her so I moved her and the eggs into the house. This morning there was a broken egg and no sign they had been sat on although a nest had been made in the straw. Mrs Bob came out when I opened the door and hasn't gone back. I wish I could have left her but there was no way to keep her safe in the place she had chosen. I now feel bad for denying her the opportunity to raise a brood.
I now have 2 broody chickens, one in each house with 4 eggs each. Sonny is on her second batch in succession being bad at sitting. She forgets to tuck all the eggs under her! Squeak seems to be managing better so hopefully by mid June some chicks will be here. Egg supplies are a bit low at present!
Trying to enjoy life as it is
8:53 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
Great news! Incubator eggs on day 28 and 3 have holes, one we can see working on the shell. They are my Rouen duck eggs
Trying to enjoy life as it is
9:12 am
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
Offline
Oh I am excited for you. Wish I was there. Please keep us posted on their progress.
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
9:28 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
We keep seeing a little beak popping out! It will be slow I think. OH is photographing the progress.
Trying to enjoy life as it is
9:31 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Hi Aly,
So pleased to hear they are pipping, you must be so relieved. Hope all goes really well for the hatch. How many eggs does you incubator hold? Do you have to add more water at this stage, to make it easier for them to break out of the shell. When my bantam hatched the ducklings for my then neighbour I had to spray the nest to keep the humidity up.
Longing to hear all about their progress.......good luck.
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
9:50 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
I took the incubator off the turning cradle on Friday and added a pot of warm water to increase the humidity to 65%. I have 5 of my eggs in as they are very big. I could probably get 15 chicken eggs in but after the last attempt where only one duck hatched I thought maybe I had packed too many in. This is amazing to watch! My sole hatching from the first attempt happened on day 45 when I had given up checking daily. I just thought I would have a look and then dispose of the eggs and there was a duckling in the incubator. I missed it all!
Trying to enjoy life as it is
11:31 am
Supreme Being
New members
Sun 2-Oct-11
Offline
All 5 eggs now pipped but think one hasn't made it as there is a large hole but no sign of movement.
Trying to enjoy life as it is
4:43 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 3-Oct-11
Offline
It is hard for them at this stage- they struggle to get out-lets hope it gets a new burst of energy and makes it.
Are we having fun yet? I am!
Most Users Ever Online: 767
Currently Online:
38 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
brightspark: 10532
danast: 10232
Aly: 9516
Sooliz: 8084
Hattie: 6920
Ambersparkle: 6699
JoannaS: 4800
Terrier: 4518
eileen54: 4424
Hannah: 4231
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 10
Members: 16148
Moderators: 2
Admins: 2
Forum Stats:
Groups: 6
Forums: 25
Topics: 2271
Posts: 123052
Newest Members:
Bonafideresearch, Beebee3, janreeves2@gmail.com, topappdevelopmentcompanies, gail, kayshortlandModerators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10
Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516
Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder Our Privacy Policy Advertise on Cottage Smallholder
