Eight hatched so far! Runner (cross) nest

[springvalley123]

This is "baby"'s first nest. It started as a shared nest with baby (the blue 9-month old mom pictured) and her mom (a white crested, not shown), both sharing setting duties. Both would set overnight, then when the weather warmed a bit, one would sit in the afternoon. I missed the "meeting" they had where baby kept the nest.

 

[CalBells]

Adorable!

 

[springvalley123]

Update! Make that nine! but three have been sold and will be foraging in their new home once they get big enough. This was a shared nest, so I took the remaining eggs

, and found 2-3 duds, 2-3 died during early incubation, one fully formed couldn't pip through the outer shell (but used up air sack). I had turned on the mister due to the heat, knowing I could be sacrificing the ducklings' hatch for mom's safety as I'd heard conflicting things about how moist/dry eggs need to be to hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are adorable.

Water is something you have to watch out for with young ducklings even with mom around if they get into a pan of water and can't get out they can get soaked chill and drown place something inside and out that they can safely get into and out of the pan of water.