First Ducklings of Spring

My Cinnamon Teal hatched 8 sometime Wednesday and had them in the pool Thursday morning. Unfortunately 2 got kill by the other ducks. I had early a.m. Dr appointment and while we were in town hit the grocery too. It was noon before I got out to the Aviary. I got them herded into the nursery area. Mom Teal is a tiger protecting her babes. She was all over me like white on rice lol. I had to toe clip them per Federal Captive Migratory Bird Rules. If she had been a big duck I would have bruises all over my arms and legs. She went berserk and even grabbed a duckling and slung it across the floor when I went to put it back down. She was after my hands. Hope she settles down soon

Sorry for not posting much. I am just in pretty bad shape with use of my arms/hands right now and don't even get on the puter much

I have Silver Split Fulvous, Chiloe Widgeon, and 2 Mandarin Hens sitting a nest. Both Ringed Teal hens eggs didn't hatch. I guess first yr Drakes aren't Fertile because both my Hens are proven Breeders. I got 2 new Drakes after loosing mine so I would have 2 pr instead of a trio. I look for the Chiloe eggs not to hatch. She has been sterile since i got her 2 yrs and 4 clutches ago. I did get a new hen from a new breeder so hopefully I will have Chiloe babies some time this yr. I will be angry if it is the Drakes since he is a new one but from the same person i got the hen from and the first drake died after 6 months without producing ducklings

ducklings

their nursery area

a few more pics I took today. Had a request for some Teal pics
Ringed Teal Drake

Falcated Teal also know as Falcated Duck

Chestnut-breasted Teal

Hottentot Teal

couldn't find my 4 of my Sussex Hens this morning. 1 is brooding in the coop and another in one of the ground box nest. I look at it and I saw 2 butts and a head that was panting. I took the top off and there were 5 of those monster sized hens crammed in the box ROFL!!!! Thankfully the 2 new litter box nest boxes came today. Hope they like them since the don't like the other nest.
Here is pic with just 2 of them in it without the top which i will leave off for now. All my other chickens love their Booda Cat litter boxes. Amazon had them so cheap compared to when they first came out. 30.00 now 17 with free shipping for 2

the one in the coop

Love the baby duck pics, so adorable.

And what pretty hens!

You ducks are absolutely beautiful! And there is nothing cuter than a duckling.

Two hens seem to fill the box - and there were FIVE in there?

I used to like to watch that old movie, "Life with Father". It's more decent than most. In it the father says, "Not some hottentot". I never knew what that meant. Now, I see there are ducks by that name, Hottentot.

Those ducks are beautiful DonnaB. I really like them. If my life ever settles down I may have some of my own.

Just love those duck pic's, I can't make up my mind what ones I like most. Those Hotentots are so cool, and I love those Teals. Those ducks make me feel fickel...Hay

What little cutie ducklings!!!..glad I have only 1 runner duck who thinks she is a chicken...lol...the other ducks are beautiful..

Nadine I just put some Trout Runner Ducks in the incubator. I have 2 Chocolate Runners I got for Christmas. The are the funniest things to watch running all over the yard

Yes PP there were 5 hens crammed in that box with the top on. Haven't been out there yet to see if they like the new boxes

See I told you I wasn't joking. Didn't want new box so I made a swap with some of the other chickens for a box a little smaller than the one they are in and made one out of a storage container. we'll see what tomorrow brings lol

Oh my! Is that ONLY five hens?? (Great picture!)

no that is just 4 of them lol

I was sure I counted six...

Can we see pictures of the chocolate runner ducks?

Donna that is a great pic...Really made me laugh out loud...My oh My...to funny...Hay

I had 1 sussex chick hatch Sunday and yesterday evening mom was still sitting. I can't believe any hatched. They had only been laying about 1 month when they started going broody. The box that they are all piling up in must have 30 eggs in it. 3 are brooding in it but the other 2 have been laying in it. Finally seeing of the hens laying in 2 other box I made for them yeah!!!

Melva I will take some pics. The hen looks chocolate and not good quality as she has some white and the drake looks black to me and very nice. I don't care since they look like true runners which is way more than the 2 I got from the hatchery. They just look like all my other ducks

Love the baby ducks. Before we moved we fed about 50 semiwild mallard ducks on the creek in our backyard. I loved nesting time but there were snappers in the creek so the death rate of the ducklings was very high. Then the ratio of drakes to hens got waaay out of hand and the drakes were running the hens off the nests to breed. the hens would run into the street and get killed leaving a whole nest of eggs. The game warden told us we could start killing the drakes to get things back in order so we killed them and ate them. We were still working on the problem when we moved.

I only have 1 duck. She is a black amd white Ancona hen I call Quackers.

This message was edited Apr 28, 2011 8:07 AM

I've never eaten duck. Sounds like you enjoyed it.

Duck is wonderful to eat..I have had it several times..not often, as it is expensive!

Duck is delish! It's a staple on the bayou.

I have never eaten Duck but have eaten Turtle Soup & Puldo Gumbo(Coot) which was great. My Aunt & Uncle are big hunters in Thibodaux. She says I make her feel bad when i send her pics of my pet ducks or Butterflies since they eat her herbs in barrels out at their camp and she kills them

More ducklings hatched Tuesday and were out of the nest Wednesday. I have 6 Mandarins and 1 Chestnut-breasted Teal. great another egg dumper.
More Mandarin due the 20th and the Runner Ducks eggs are due the 17th. I moved them out to the nest when I caught her off Thursday since i can't hand raise them right now. 7 oF 12 Eggs were still good. had 3 quitters and 2 were not developing. Not bad for shipped eggs. New Chiloe Hen started brooding with eggs due to hatch about June 11th.

I released the Cinnamon Teal pr and the 1 surviving duckling back into the open Aviary. I now believe the drake was the reason for the other 7's deaths. I caught him trying to hurt the duckling several times and why I released them. Now it has plenty of places to hiding and get away from the drake. The drake is raping the hen and she is fighting him. I was told by the experts that drake will often kill the ducklings so it can breed again because to have duckling means means breeding is over for him

another view

I had runner ducks a few years back, the drake was ruthless. Out of several clutches he managed to kill all but one duckling which as luck would have it was a male as well.

Love the pics you shared, not much cuter than a duckling!!

Is it possible to keep the drake seperated?

if she lays again this season I will keep the drake out of the nursery. I didn't know he would do that. All my other drakes have been protectors so far. The Fulvous Drake even took turns with his hen sitting the eggs

Now, that's a real man! :)