Ducklings are not what they seemed!!!

Our ducklings we hatched have fooled us!

The ducklings we hatch which we sexed at 9 weeks as 4 females and 1 drake, turns out to be 5 drakes! I started to notice that the 4 “hens” head started to get darker and look more like Louie (the father). Also I noticed that one of the “hens” started to get a curled tail feather. That was it. I knew it was over. They all look too similar and that first curled tail feather said it all.

As the next couple of weeks went I one by one gained a raspy quack and a curled tail feather. New drakes swimming by the dockFunny thing is that the mother duck still sticks around them and follows them everywhere. Of course the “wild duckling” is just the cutest thing. He looks like a mallard but the size of a jumbo pekin.

Our Plans for the new Drakes

We had initially stated that we would sell the drakes if we had more than one. But like all the other animals we have fallen in love watching these not so little anymore guys waddle around. Half mallard drakeThey have curious personality and love to say hi but run away.

This little one to your right I have been trying to come up with a good name. He will stay with the flock if we decide to sell off the others. He is just too neat looking to give away.

The ducklings we hatched are a extremely bonded. They stay in their group no matter what. They have each others back. Once goes “Oh NO!” because they did not realize we are in the pen they all will run away. I try to pet them every night when feeding them. But I still have not been able to get them. I can get all the other ducks but these guys are more agile.

Stay up to date here!

Ducklings are 5 Weeks Old

Ducklings running toward a pond

Ducklings are 5 Weeks Old

The ducklings are 5 weeks old and oh have grown! They are almost the same size as their mother. This past two weeks have really been a joy to watch them. But with bigger ducklings comes bigger messes and stronger orders.

Ducklings with their mothers. Ducklings are 5 weeks old!It has been two weeks since the last update. I thought they were big then. Now they are almost the size of their mother. They are eating a lot more and becoming more adventurous. Sometimes the ducklings will wonder around the pen away from their mothers. As well as let me clean the pen without being threaten by their mothers.

The ducklings love to swim in their kiddie pool. We have to change the water on this every other day as they are pooping in the pool. The pool water brings in a whole new world of smells. I wish to add a fan to keep the orders down. I currently do not have a drain system in place for the pool. So we have to empty it with buckets since I do not want to flood their pen with duck poop water.

I turn their bedding and add fresh every couple of days as to keep the ground elevated and the old soiled bedding turned in. I am maintaining the coop this way for two reasons. Ducklings with their mother. Ducklings are 5 weeks old!One the birds need to stay in fresh clean bedding and two so I may have good composted to removed and add to the garden this fall. The digging and scratching by the chickens and ducks turns this old bedding into great garden soil quickly.  As the manure has not aged I cannot add to the garden while it is planted.

Freedom!!

Yesterday was the first day we allowed them to leave their pen to explore. The ducklings where very excited to waddle on grass and forge with their mothers. Surprisingly they did not want to swim in the pond. Instead they went around the barn eating bugs. Once the pen was cleaned out and the chickens turned up all the fresh straw, the two mommy ducks went back into the pen and left the little ones outside! Took a little bit for the ducklings to notice that they were along outside. But as soon as they did notice they waddled back into the pen.

Three more weeks until the ducklings are officially adult ducks. The ducklings will be fully feathered out and hopefully we can figure out the sex of each duck. We would like all hens but can accept if there is one drake.

New Ducklings!

We expanded our farm family with 5 new ducklings!

Fertile Myrtle is a first time mommy with her new ducklings. She has been sharing her motherly duties with our other duck, Broody Bridget, who hopefully will hatch ducklings of her own soon!

new ducklings! Fertile Myrtle with her 5 ducklings
Fertile Myrtle with her 5 ducklings
new ducklings! Broody Bridget sharing mommy duties
Broody Bridget sharing mommy duties