Re: Ducklings Your garden looks lovely for ducks! It always looks so shady and cool (I'm sure it must be warm at times, but it never looks it). And so well organised for the ducks with all those lovely duck houses. Lovely to see Obi. Great egg collecting Obi! I like your sponge.
Re: Ducklings Great picture of the egg collecting ;D Lambie gets around. I'm sure he must have started the fight.
Re: Ducklings So, looking at that pic of Obi's (very attractive) tail in the bush, and thinking about eggs, and knowing the various flora and fauna that populate your country.....are you ever worried about snakes going after those eggs/ducks/inquisitive Labradors? I mean, I know the Lambies have a protective shield over the Obster, but, still.....
Re: Ducklings It's possible that we'd get a snake around here but they'd be going for mice, not eggs. So it's important that we get on top of any rodent issues. I have seen a snake going into the backyard of a house in the next street. That was pretty unusual though. Not something I worry too much about, really I agree that Lambie was probably responsible for inciting the duckling fight....they just love to stir things up.
Re: Ducklings Ahem. I don't want to nag...but duckling updates have somewhat dried up...which is fine, of course...we've no right to demand them or anything like that. But...
Re: Ducklings [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3806.msg58283#msg58283 date=1393801238] Ahem. I don't want to nag...but duckling updates have somewhat dried up...which is fine, of course...we've no right to demand them or anything like that. But... [/quote] I too was thinking it had been very quiet on the duck front. Worried they may have got muddled up with squirrel eek!
Re: Ducklings Sorry!! ;D They are all alive and kicking, definitely not fricasseed, are still with me and doing very well We are working on the recall (coming and going into their pen when called). We had a little bit of trouble with it this morning as they were distracted by a puddle. Must proof against puddles. Otherwise, the recall is coming along very well. The recall cue is 'C'MON, C'MON, C'MON', for those interested. Will get some pics for you after work today
Re: Ducklings The ducklings are now three months old and are getting close to being fully grown. Here we have, from left to right: Woodget, Ariel, Christopher, Harrison, Meriwether and Temeraire. They're looking at a bird that flew over. Keeping an eye on proceedings: Seconds after that some potentially dangerous cyclists rode past and had to be warned off. Fortunately they abandoned their plans to storm the homestead and we were all saved. Here's a little video of the ducklings going into their house for a lettuce treat. And some dog footage. I turned the phone sideways halfway through - very sorry about the sickening lurch that induces.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/93962102@N05/12900007603/
Re: Ducklings O! Just lovely. My girl is all grown up! Sniff! :'( ;D Obi has a tail nearly as good as Karen's red squirrel! Glad to see Obi and the Ducklings (I cannot call them Ducks, they are still babies, even if they look grown) saw off the threat to the homestead! Love your C'mon recall! Woof! Obi. Obi looked like he wanted lettuce!
Re: Ducklings Yes they will always be ducklings to me too even though they're so fine and tall now. They're all gorgeous x
Re: Ducklings I'm guessing you meant Obi, not 'albino' ;D Well, it's come to that time when some duckies are going to new homes. Ariel is going to go and live with his own group of lady ducks at the home of a colleague of Damon's. That will be tomorrow or early next week. Since he will be living with someone we know I'll be able to keep up with how he is doing and even borrow him if we need to (in the event that something happens to our other drakes). He has turned out well, aside from the pink in his bill and a bit less width in the body than I would like. He's a lovely, quiet boy. I will also be finding a new home for Meriwether and Harrison. I would like to keep Harry but Meri needs to go with a girl. They will go as a pair and I'll be fussy about where as I'm not in a hurry. My plan is to keep Christopher (good type and markings - I would show him) and definitely Temeraire (good type, ok markings, should be a great layer). And probably Woodget who has turned out as a nice stocky girl with a good head (i.e. good type) even though her markings aren't great. Keeping Christopher would mean I'd have to shuffle some of my older ducks around a bit and look into the agistment option at some stage. Here are a few pics from today. Having a paddle (with bonus chicken). Meri having a drink out of the water pot. Obi was walking behind just out of the frame so they are all hurrying along here. Meri and Woodget (who wanted to keep playing in the puddle instead of going to bed).
Re: Ducklings [quote author=Oberon link=topic=3806.msg60312#msg60312 date=1394616932] I will also be finding a new home for Meriwether and Harrison. I would like to keep Harry but Meri needs to go with a girl. They will go as a pair and I'll be fussy about where as I'm not in a hurry. [/quote] Oh! When I saw we were finding out, I had to close my eyes for a bit. But it's ok. Lovely silver Harri is going with a pal. That's ok. Yes, will be like an adventure, and she won't be lonely. Now will go look at the pics.
Re: Ducklings I'm sorry If I'd had fewer boys I might have kept her but I don't sell single boys unless I know for a fact they're going to be with some lady ducks who are looking for a drake. So someone needs to be Meri's buddy. I may sell Woodget with them and make it a trio but that depends on whether the agistment option is viable because to keep Woodget I'd need to retire some ducks that I don't plan to breed from, to make room. Duck Tetris! I'm yet to check out the agistment option but will in the next few weeks. All that means that nothing will happen in a hurry, aside from Ariel going to his new home soon. Bit of a case of 'watch this space'. I had mentioned some time back that I would be only keeping two females and would be putting them with my black drake, Marco. But I'm not going to do that after all as Marco, while a nice big boy and very well marked, is not the type I am really after at the end of the day. Plus he has a bit of brown on the underside and that's something I want to avoid perpetuating.
Re: Ducklings Meri and Harri will make a good team. They look good together. Why don't you sell single boys? Because they need girlfriends? I love the pics - puddle playing before bed very cute.
Re: Ducklings Yes I did mean Obi,not a new albino variety of duck you have covertly bred and only I knew about Yes,yes,yes Christopher is staying with Obi!lhurray,hurray,hurray!however........I'm sad that might mean there is to be a reshuffle :'( although I know that they will only be reshuffled to somewhere fabulous where they will retire in comfort and safety x Bet you can't wait to tell us about your next batch of eggs can you Rachael ;D ! Seriously I've loved learning about them and watching them grow into beautiful ducks,you have done a marvelous job with them xxx
Re: Ducklings Meri, the teenager, wants to stay out late playing in the puddles... Have you checked he is not climbing out the window when you think he is safely in bed?? Glad Meri will get to go out into the big wide world with a friend, and that they are not packing their red-spotted handkerchiefs just yet. It has been fabulous watching them all grow, and thank you so much for sharing it all with us. ;D ;D Clare
Re: Ducklings I've loved the duckling story too and I'm glad Ariel has a ready made harem just waiting for him and his handsome bib
Re: Ducklings Sad to know we won't get any more photo updates of so e of the ducklings but glad you are keeping some
