Re: Ducklings Just told hubby that you want a publicly available webcam for the next lot of ducklings. He laughed. Not in a 'sure, no problem, what a top idea' kind of way. ;D
Re: Ducklings So today the indoor ducklings go to their new home, at 4pm (which is 7am UK time). Yesterday I moved them back into their old pen so I could shuffle everyone else around. Temeraire is in with Jelly (drake) and Shackleton and is getting along with them very well (after an initial wrestle with Shackleton). Here she is (on the left) with Shackleton, enjoying some mud together. But she still has time to visit old friends... ...who are having fun in the pool. Woodget contemplating something that has landed in the plum tree. The feathers on her neck are a bit ruffled, which means she is not that happy about whatever she's looking at. Little video of everyone having a preen, except Woodget who is making mud (which is the slurpy noise you can hear). For parrot lovers the screaming in the background is coming from Sulphur Crested Cockatoos flying overhead. https://flic.kr/p/nKLPk1 I'll send them on their way with a packet of peas for when they arrive. It will be sad to see them go, especially as I thought for quite a while that I'd keep Christopher too, but they will be fine in their new home. I'm very happy that they will not be split up and can stay together. I'll let you know of any updates
Re: Ducklings Me? No, I didn't bring in this small log while you were on the internet and, no, I am not chewing it up in the middle of the lounge room.
Re: Ducklings Haha. Go Obi! Surely you could have found a bigger stick out there somewhere The ducks look like they are having a wonderful time swimming away in the pool. I'm sure you will miss the terribly.
Re: Ducklings Penny does that too! She has a big old stick in the garden she likes to play with and when we leave the back door open she brings it in and starts chewing it up on the carpet, making little splinters everywhere!!
Re: Ducklings Bon Vogage, our intrepid explorers! Obi is just trying to distract you. Or maybe he is just trying
Re: Ducklings Thanks everyone. It's a bit sad But they've gone to a lovely home. When the lady came to pick them up it was raining. I caught Christopher first and carried him down the ramp from the duck house. Naturally I slipped on the wet ramp, and, not wanting to let go of or end up sitting on Christopher, did a kind of half turn with double pike and ended up on my back. Surprisingly, I was fine and, luckily, Christopher unsquashed. I will miss them. Yesterday afternoon they were out in the yard, in the pool, while the rest of the ducks were in their houses. Meri went off to find Temeraire and when he found her they had a little chat through the mesh wall. Very sweet, all of them. Ariel won't come back here to live but he might come to visit (i.e. for a hot date with a ducky lady)
Re: Ducklings Best wishes to our lovely, lovely ducklings. Loved from around the world. They won't be lonely, and it sounds like the new home involves peas and ponds. Obi, you just demand more attention now! You eat your log in the front room - you deserve it after sharing your international fan base with ducks! ;D ;D ;D Hope you are not too bruised Rachael!
Re: Ducklings Do ducks settle quickly or will they be homesick? Why do ducks make mud? I thought it fascinating when Woodget went round to the other side of the 'pond' wet her beak and went back to making more mud.
Re: Ducklings They'll be worried and confused at first but within a couple of days they'll have found their place in the group (as there are other ducks there already) and they'll be fairly settled. I don't know if they get homesick but if they came back today they'd be very happy to return to their familiar environment. But it will be the other way round in a week or two. By nature ducks are migratory and also (in the wild) form new relationships every year. So they are pretty adaptable. I know from watching ducks that I have bought from elsewhere that they do settle in fairly quickly, within a week. Right now, Temeraire is getting along well with her two roommates but she's still quacking loudly occasionally to see if the other ducklings answer. When I let them out into the yard she will go to look for them. But then she'll have a swim or ask me to pick some lettuce for her (she's trained me to do this...). These kinds of ducks (derived from Mallards) are dabbling ducks which means they sift through mud and water for things to eat. They pull in mud and water at the front of their bill and sieve it through tiny serrations in the side of their bills, using their tongues. They do it incredibly quickly. They also use an electrical sense in their bills to detect invertebrates. They just love sifting through mud and turning any wet area into a mud pit for sifting purposes
Re: Ducklings Well I'm glad they got off ok. I hope you are ok after your fall? No new pains after a nights sleep?
Re: Ducklings I'm fine, which I didn't expect!! Thanks for asking Just glad I didn't flatten poor Christopher!!! Going to put some little anti slip ridges on that dastardly ramp.
Re: Ducklings Thanks Oberon, that was very interesting. Though I do think of the ducks, far, far from England being a wee bit homesick; do they release that people spread all over the world think about them
Re: Ducklings It's so nice that you all are thinking of them. It's really touching, and I appreciate the interest that everyone has shown in them, I really do
Re: Ducklings Just curious.....do the new owners know their names (and their provenance ;D )? I do remember that you said you didn't normally name the chicks....though I guess they need a kennel name at some point.
