I just wanted to give a little update on my Magpie ducklings since I've recieved so much help from this wonderful board.
A couple weeks ago I posted about my little duckling runt and how she wasn't doing very well (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5413). Well I followed the wonderful dlhunicorn's advice about the vitamins and I am thrilled to report that she is now 1000% better! She's still smaller, but she's running around, using her neck just fine for all the preening contorsions, and "talking" with her friend.
The only sad news about my trio is that a few days after that post I lost my male duckling. He somehow got his foot stuck and I think he had a heart attack. It broke my heart to lose him like that -perfectly fine and then dead within an hour.
I think the girls missed him too.
But now the girls are doing fabulous -getting lots of feathers, talking up a storm, and growing faster than weeds (they are 4 weeks old)! This past weekend I decided to put them out in their future pen during the day so I could clean their soggy brooder. Well they had a BLAST!!
Here they are before going out...
The big one is Maggie and the small one is Bitsy.
Once they were in the pen they wasted no time jumping in the pool!
There are brick steps leading into and out of the pool, but that old tire mat is perfect for their little feet...
And because I'm a nerd:
Best seat in the house! (er, yard.)
After I lost the male I kind of made an impulse order from Ideal.
Last Friday night I placed an order for 3 Magpie females, 2 Magpie males, and 2 Silver-laced Cochin Banties, and listed the desired delivery date as "ASAP" since I didn't have any particular date in mind. Besides, I figured they would call or email to let me know when it would actually be shipped. Well I'd been waiting for the confirmation email and was planning on calling them today, but I was awoken this morning by a call from the POST OFFICE!
Surprise!
Happiness is a little box of warm peepers!
I have to say, blue marker on a yellow duckling who has black spots makes for very confusing sexing! The marker looks almost exactly like their dark spots!
The upper left duckling (in profile) is marked as a male...
(Also, the duckling on the right was droopy from the start -I lost her later in the day.
)
These banties have even fuzzier legs than my current 2-week chicks!
The second duckling from the left is also marked as a male -can you tell?
(Again, a marked male on the left)
Everyone looks healthy and happy now, and are getting stronger on their legs.
(By the way, this was just the box I put them in while I watered them and prepared their brooder space!)
A couple weeks ago I posted about my little duckling runt and how she wasn't doing very well (https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5413). Well I followed the wonderful dlhunicorn's advice about the vitamins and I am thrilled to report that she is now 1000% better! She's still smaller, but she's running around, using her neck just fine for all the preening contorsions, and "talking" with her friend.
The only sad news about my trio is that a few days after that post I lost my male duckling. He somehow got his foot stuck and I think he had a heart attack. It broke my heart to lose him like that -perfectly fine and then dead within an hour.
But now the girls are doing fabulous -getting lots of feathers, talking up a storm, and growing faster than weeds (they are 4 weeks old)! This past weekend I decided to put them out in their future pen during the day so I could clean their soggy brooder. Well they had a BLAST!!
Here they are before going out...
The big one is Maggie and the small one is Bitsy.
Once they were in the pen they wasted no time jumping in the pool!
There are brick steps leading into and out of the pool, but that old tire mat is perfect for their little feet...
And because I'm a nerd:
Best seat in the house! (er, yard.)
After I lost the male I kind of made an impulse order from Ideal.
Happiness is a little box of warm peepers!
I have to say, blue marker on a yellow duckling who has black spots makes for very confusing sexing! The marker looks almost exactly like their dark spots!
The upper left duckling (in profile) is marked as a male...
(Also, the duckling on the right was droopy from the start -I lost her later in the day.
These banties have even fuzzier legs than my current 2-week chicks!
The second duckling from the left is also marked as a male -can you tell?
(Again, a marked male on the left)
Everyone looks healthy and happy now, and are getting stronger on their legs.
(By the way, this was just the box I put them in while I watered them and prepared their brooder space!)
