Duck Treats

[Dempsy's Mom]

It was a couple of weeks ago now - I had Demps, Elsie and Wort out in the pasture running around.  They came across a duck sitting on her nest.  They chased her away and tore into her nest.  By the time I got over there they had pretty much destroyed her nest and the eggs where scattered about.  So here I go again - another decision to make - do I put everything back as best I can or do I take the eggs.  I thought the chances of her coming back were slim - so I took the eggs not really knowing what I was going to do with them.

 

I read on the internet about hatching eggs - well I wasn't going to go through a lot of work - so I put them in a plastic bucket with a desk light on them and a cup of water.  There they sat for a couple of weeks.  Then two days ago I heard a peep.  It startled me. Where did that peep come from ? .... well I'll be.  I really couldn't believe that there was a baby duck ready to be hatched.  It was so touching.  It was so exciting. I felt like a kid.

 

I now have 3 baby ducks, thanks to the pooches.  This is their 3rd day of life.  Four of the eggs are still under my desk light.  I do not hear any pecking.  Dempsy and Elsie want their duck treats back.  I figure I will keep them until they are old enough to release in the stock pond out back.  I am not a believer of taking animals from the wild and I wish they had their momma, it would of been the best.

 

We still have some beans to plant and we are getting late.  Jim has about had it with me, but he is a softy.  I set up a cage for them today outside with the heat lamp.  They loved it.  Now tonight I will bring them back in.  I suppose I will use the chicken coop when they get to be teens - which will be soon.

 

 

 

[hheldorfer]

That video is amazing Lori!  Wow!  Very, very cool.  What do you feed them?   I'm so curious about this.  They are adorable!  Dempsy and Elsie *really* want to get at them!

[Dempsy's Mom]

Yes, the little ducks are always on Elsies and Dempsy's minds.

 

I only have them outside when I am around.  When the first duck alerted me that he was coming I ran to the feed store and bought them Meatbird. ? It's duck food and I picked up a new heat bulb.  They don't eat for the first 24 hours and it says not to put a pool in until they are a certain age ( I forget what that is right now).  I had a water dish from the chicks.  I love my little ducklings and want to best for them.  I really didn't think that they would hatch with just a desk light and maybe if I went all out with an incubator the other eggs would of hatched. ? maybe I should of put the nest back as best I could and left it.  But with the dog scent I just didn't think she was coming back.  Anyway once again I did the best I could and I am thrilled to have 3 little survivors.  

 

I loved listening to them work so hard and their little pecks were so steady and consistant.  Truly a miracle of life.  I wish all children could witness an egg hatch.

[Sam I Am]

How precious is life and the wee ducklings. I don't know if you know this but they will imprint you as their mum, so they might be following you everywhere. Not sure if Demps is wanting to be a pal or have duckling ala grass.

A few days ago I was riding my mare with a friend ....we were about four feet apart, when suddenly a mama duck took flight right under our horses feet. We looked down and there was a hollowed out nest in the pasture with about 10 eggs. I don't understand why they build there nests there.Any coyote wondering by would instantly devour the eggs, as would any of the hawks.

[hheldorfer]

A few years ago a duck built a nest right in front of our house, behind some shrubs.  I thought the same thing as you, Terrier lover.  I believe I read that inexperienced, first-time duck moms sometimes make bad nesting choices.  

[_whits_]

What a big heart you have Lori! Coming from a farming family but not being a farmer myself I can't fathom all the work you have to do on top of taking on raising one stray dog and three little ducklings. Best of luck with your ever expanding menagerie. And do keep up updated. I love to hear all of the tales of your gang on the farm. 

Edited June 11, 2014 by _whits_

[Autumn & Lola]

What an awesome video! I've never seen anything born in real life, so it's a real treat for me to watch these types of videos. They are so cute. My first question, too, was what do they eat? but I see you've already answered that. Funny that they don't eat for the first 24 hours.  Would all of the ducklings hatched on the same day, or is there still hope for the other eggs?

[Hillscreek]

aw so sweet.

[mom42terrificgirls]

This is so cool! I'm surprised that the ducklings don't get out through the wire, though?? Do they just know not to leave a good thing?

[Dempsy's Mom]

I will need to do something different soon.  Little buggers are trying to fly already.

[Roux's Mom]

Years ago my son came across a nest of just hatched purple finches in our yard that had apparently fallen from a tree, but landed in tact. We left it hoping mom would come for them, but she didn't. So we picked up the entire nest with naked tiny babies in it, contacted a rescue org. who put us in touch with a bird expert, who told us how to care for them as their mother would have until they fledged. My son was 12 at the time, is 36 now with his own family, and to this day talks about the experience of raising those baby birds as one of the wonders of his life.

 

We never touched the finches and they did not imprint with us, just flew away when it was time. Ducks however ... I'm sure to them you are Mommy!

 

So cool.

[Dempsy's Mom]

That is very sweet.  Life is so precious and to teach the kids that is so very important.  The path of life is complicated and I believe that people, animals, situations, things are put in our lives by fate - so we make choices and form who we become and eventually who we are.  Life is not meant to be easy and convenient and I think that that is what a lot of kids are missing these days.  Life is tuff.

 

Dempsy asked me this morning if I loved him.  I told him I love him very much.  He asked if I love him enough to give him a duck.  I told him no.  Then, he said, you don't love me enough.

[hheldorfer]

Life is not meant to be easy and convenient and I think that that is what a lot of kids are missing these days. 

 

Amen, sister!

[Malcolm's Dad]

I love the videos you post. At the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago there is an exhibit with chicks hatching. It is so cute to watch them chip their way out of the eggs. The little fuzzy chicks stand up and start cheeping. Now I have seen little baby ducks hatching. I learn a lot more about farm life from you than I ever learned at the museum. Thanks for posting.

[Dempsy's Mom]

threw away the other eggs today - I did crack them open and they all had yolks in them

[eastofeden]

Ducklings need 20% protein while they are still downy....We always used Chick Starter feed until they got their feathers.  Also bread is very bad for ducks...lettuce makes a good treat (My dogs think so too...cause that is what we would give the duck)!

 

We had so much fun when we had ducks...we had one that would come into the house and run into the kitchen and stand in front of the refrigerator...cause he know that is where the lettuce was 

[Dempsy's Mom]

I will give them some lettuce.  They are not bonding with me - no fear of imprinting.  Little farts bite me now when I pick them up, so cute.  I haven't spent a lot of time with them so they are pretty independent.  They just think of me as room service.  They sure can make a mess.  No feathers yet - but they are growing like weeds.  Demps and Els keep close tabs on me when I go upstairs. We planted our last soybean on Friday the 13th - since then it has been raining off and on so the ducks are up in the extra bedroom in Elsie's old dog cage.  They are loving it. 

[hheldorfer]

You can raise anything, Lori.   Sounds like your ducklings are coming along just fine.