STEEPLE DUCKS
LATEST 20th June 2010
The Cross-bars (Welbar/Cream Legbar/Rhodebar x poultry) have been laying well. I've hatched out enough chicks for layers next year.
The poultry are now all running together.
Getting a lovely colour selection of eggs.
The runner ducks are still in full lay, supplying the demand for duck eating eggs and giving plenty to put in the incubator. One batch is now 4 weeks old and another 2 weeks old.
My Pilgrim goose has not produced fertile eggs this year. I wont go into it but it's his fault! However their offspring are still laying well but now it is so warm they are likely to stop any day. Tony and Dave/Lizzies goslings are growing up. They've both taken the plunge and left them to the care of their parent geese. The ganders are proving very caring and ensure they get safely to bed at night. Sal at Kishorn in the Highlands has just hatched 1 male and 3 females, thank you to her neighbours for taking the eggs up, a 12 hour drive. There are fertile eggs in the incubator.
The trouble with being the biggest is that, even if you're the youngest, they all think you know what you're doing.
He was still going to bed with them in a little broody house when the broody bantam wasn't as high as his knees but there weren't even accidental injuries.
Lucky has gone to join a goose friend in Cornwall. He travelled in a dog crate and we wouldn't have known he was there he was so quiet and no trouble. I wish all my passengers were as good. Then he walked out of the crate and saw the sea! There was no aggression at all joining the goose and her parent geese.
Showing a newly hatched pair of Pilgrim goslings.
Thank you to Tony for this photo.
Ducklings hatching and being taken on by my excellent broody bantam Faverolle. She has reared ducklings, goslings & chicks.
5 day old Rhodebar & RIR chicks with newly hatched trout runner ducklings. They are squashed together because I turned off the heat lamp to take the photo, if they were normally like this it would be a concern that they could suffocate. 9 May 10
More photos of the latest goslngs are on the geese page. The older ones are now in the care of their parent geese, or rather the gander, who takes on the majority of the caring role. They are at the indeterminate age between hatching and feathering up.
The ducklings now 3 weeks old 28 May 10
Ducklings hatching 28 May 10
Now 8 weeks 18 June 10
(the gander is moulting & the grass is recovering from the winter wear & tear)
These 2 and their siblings plus mum & dad on 5 June 10
Thank you to Tony for this photo.
5 day old runners & Welsh Harlequin ducklings having a first day out in the sun 18 June 10
3 & 6 week old runners & some mature birds 18 June 10.
The 3 week olds come out while I am with them, then return to a covered run.