ninety6
Chirping
- Jun 9, 2021
- 61
- 186
- 76
Last year our flock was 8. We lost 3 to cars, 2 to a fox, and 1 to a coyote 
. Our remaining two (Our Cayuga and Mallard) settled in on nests a few weeks ago, and we have (as of last weekend) 17 viable babies! ALL the babies are mallards. The Cayuga (Ocho) had plenty of eggs, but non were fertile -- but the mallard layed in both nests so we'll a mallard family and a blended family 
.
I have both cams on a youtube live feed. The ducks have been full-time on the nests Since 4/7, which is what the timer on the video is on. However, they were on their at least 12 hours a day for several days prior, and the eggs seemed further along when candling. So hatch day will be a mystery, but we are hoping for late this week!
https://youtube.com/live/DdTWZIcxy6g
Our ducks are free range, but sleep in the locked coop at night. (well, right now, they are in the coop 23 hours a day).
I do have some questions -- we've raised several batches of ducklings, both hatching and buying. But with THESE ducks we planned to let the momma's take care of them. HOWEVER we don't want them eaten by hawks, dogs, etc. So should we keep them in the coop and provide food and water for a while? Or just let the momma's take care of it all? The pond is about 300 feet from the coop.
. Our remaining two (Our Cayuga and Mallard) settled in on nests a few weeks ago, and we have (as of last weekend) 17 viable babies! ALL the babies are mallards. The Cayuga (Ocho) had plenty of eggs, but non were fertile -- but the mallard layed in both nests so we'll a mallard family and a blended family .I have both cams on a youtube live feed. The ducks have been full-time on the nests Since 4/7, which is what the timer on the video is on. However, they were on their at least 12 hours a day for several days prior, and the eggs seemed further along when candling. So hatch day will be a mystery, but we are hoping for late this week!
https://youtube.com/live/DdTWZIcxy6g
Our ducks are free range, but sleep in the locked coop at night. (well, right now, they are in the coop 23 hours a day).
I do have some questions -- we've raised several batches of ducklings, both hatching and buying. But with THESE ducks we planned to let the momma's take care of them. HOWEVER we don't want them eaten by hawks, dogs, etc. So should we keep them in the coop and provide food and water for a while? Or just let the momma's take care of it all? The pond is about 300 feet from the coop.
