NOT what I expected to wake up to this morning...

[AlanThePig]

Some of you might recall we have a rather large pond in our garden. On it we have a pair of ducks. First day of lockdown appeared ten, beautiful ducklings. They grew up, flew away and that was that until next spring.

Except I woke up to this......
There are ten more (seven in this photo) and I can only assume the warm weather has thoroughly confused her.

I'm now going spend the next few months fretting over bloody wildlife.

Hello @AlanThePig

They look great (in a scruffy sort of way!).

Don't underestimate your part in their survival so far. Well done and good job 👍

(Keep posting!)

No wonder they fly off sometimes - imagine seven teenagers in the (duck) house all at the same time!

They must have amazing hearing because they know when I get up, they then all congregate under the bedroom window looking up and shouting.

You have been so well trained...

Also had an unknown couple turn up at the end of the drive earlier to see them

Someone from this thread maybe...

@NoGoodPunsLeft

Also had an unknown couple turn up at the end of the drive earlier to see them

Someone from this thread maybe...

Nah cos they'd know they would turn their noses (beaks) up at bread

Nah cos they'd know they would turn their noses (beaks) up at bread

True that. They'd know to knock on for a bag of food, as if they would lower themselves to bread! 😂

Hope all is well. Will look out for a new thread

Yey I found the thread again! I loved reading about the ducklings and their parents the other day, then promptly lost the thread. So pleased to read all still present and correct

❤️❤️❤️

@AlanThePig

We do have a duck house, and it's a floating one so they are fairly safe. Ducks are fed on an expensive floating food.

She's very tame with us for a wild duck, last time she brought all the ducklings to the front door daily for food so I expect she'll start doing that again (if you're not quick enough she'll come in). She's had a bit of food from me earlier and I'll go and throw her a bit more shortly.

I'm worrying and there is little I can do other than keep the food coming. I do hope they all survive.

Fabulous garden. Is that you your Majesty?

Strictly speaking bread shouldn't be fed to ducks and swans as it has very little nutritional value for them. I learned this from the signs at the canal behind my house! We rarely see ducklings on it though just ducks. We do see cygnets sometimes. But I fecking hate swans, they can be vicious feckers and when they are on land they seem massive and their beaks seem even more massive! @AlanThePig you're flying it with your duckling hand rearing skills. And your thread makes a welcome change from the mil, ex, manager, colleague bashing and Covid threads😊.

I hope all is well with the big ducks and the little ducks today 🦆 @AlanThePig... And that the weather remains clement with you.

Strictly speaking bread shouldn't be fed to ducks and swans as it has very little nutritional value for them

Indeed. And at £30 a bag of food thats why I'll always be poor 😂
That said, the RSPB did say last year that feeding bread is better than nothing. If anything I chuck bread in for the fish, they go at it like piranhas and it's fascinating to watch them attack it. Lord knows this lot wont lower themselves to it.

All is well here. Egwina and Duncan were both out all night again, returning about nine this morning. Ducklings unphased by this now. Adult feathers are coming thick and fast, will try and get some pictures tomorrow. Trying to hazard guesses as to who's male and who's female at present. Hopefully more females this time to make up for all the boys we sent out last time lol

Lovely update

Ah so glad they made it to 4 weeks! Shamelessly place marking for updates here...

Can you imagine her AIBU though?

‘Had ten children earlier in lockdown, did my best for them, so pleased to finally be an emptynester when lo and behold a night out with DDH and now we have another ten! DDH has always been the type to come and go as he pleases, of course the kids don’t judge him. AIBU to do the same as him this time round, esp as helpful land neighbour nannies them?’

what a joyful thread.
do you feed them lettuce?

Just caught up on this amazing thread! Have to admit though, I'm a bit worried that the younglings will think it's the done thing to leave your ducklings overnight, when they have little ones!

it is nature though, amazing

SearchesForHipBones Laughed out loud at your post! Thank you (and Alan The Pig obv!) such a lovely thread in these rather dark times ! Look forward to reading about them .(checking in regularly!)

@Searchesforhipbones the thought had crossed my mind. 😂. Poor girl will just about recover from —not— looking after this lot and mating season will kick in again.

@Skipsurvey lettuce. Ha. If I had a list of the things I’ve tried to feed this duck over the last two years. Scraps, veggies, normal duck food etc. Turns her beak up at everything but floating stuff. I’m very well trained it seems....

All present and correct this morning. No start to flying lessons yet but expect as soon as more adult feathers come in we’ll be off again😂

Scruff bags the lot of em.
If you look carefully one seems to have a much lighter head than the others with markings that aren’t as pronounced. I’d guess that’s possibly a female. She’s also a bit smaller and the only one we managed to name because she stuck out. She’s Dot.

😊 Dot is a lovely name for a duck!

I think you should go ahead and name all the others too! Even if you can’t tell them apart. You could just whichever of your chosen names for whatever duckling you happen to be addressing or referring to! 😄

When do the males get that amazing little curly tail feather? Before or after they get the shiny head feathers?

Local duck pond ducklings never seem to be visible when they're in the scruffy teen phase... probably hanging around on pond corners somewhere being belligerent.