Thursday, May 24, 2012

The ducklings new addition.




Remember Phoebe?  She will be 10 weeks old on Sat and she is at 100% health now and I have been adding her to the ducklings for a few hours here and there every day and today is her first day ALL day in with them and so far so good.  They still keep her in line with a peck here and there but she has not pecked them even once so that is good news.  I have an egg due to hatch today under a bantam mommy so I wanted to remove her rooster (don't trust him yet, the bantam orp pair are new to my group) so he has to have Phoebe's home for the night until the mother is able to bond with her baby and then I'm not even sure I will add him until the baby is ready to leave mom.  I've had a few chicks eaten before, but I did manage to save two of them (live and learn) and I really don't want to go through that again.  Not fun stuff!  \
Yesterday I cleaned out the "water catch station" and again, there was a whole lot of water! Took a little bedding off the top again and added some fresh stuff after stirring.  No smells yet (besides the "normal" duckling smells) so will wait to clean the whole thing out.  I have been considering moving the four bantam cochins on the other side of the boxed area and opening the entire brooder to the ducks, at least until they are 4 weeks which is when they move to their bigger home with pool/yard.  I have two and 1/2 weeks to go and I think they would enjoy more room.  They do have enough room now so still thinking on that.  More to come later!

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