It’s been far too cold and far too stormy and far to wet, and right at the point of us having new ducklings hatch.
Poor things were shivering away, and mum is good and broods them – but I think maybe a fully grown duck doesn’t feel the cold like a fluffy duckling does.
In the middle of the horrible weather I found a duckling left out in the rain, breathing its last, whilst mum and the other seven were tucked up in the little house.
I warmed him up (yup duckling down the t shirt time) brought him back to the house – couldn’t put him under the heat lamp as that is occupied with chicks, so improvised a box and some tubs of warm water next to him, and after a bit he was dry and squeaking loudly and stomping about.
So I took him back down to mum and he joined the crowd, only standing out by being the dry one.
But the next day, a duckling was found dead. I’m guessing the same one? but they all look the same in this batch. I don’t know if they got too cold (we did our best setting up shelters and windbreaks) or if she is a bad mum, if he just wasn’t right.
Seven ducklings still going strong.
