All the ducklings are going well. In fact, the first lot we got in are spending their first night outside with no light tonight. The last two nights they had a light to gradually get them used to sleeping outside. At the moment they are in a hutch, but soon they will spend their nights in a puppy pen. The pen is for security; they cannot sleep outside without some sort of protection, as there are cats in this area and the ducklings have no means of defending themselves and can’t fly. Also, they will finally be able to have a proper run around in the garden, and a proper swim in a small wading pool. They are about two weeks old.
The second clutch are about a week younger (so just over a week old). In a few days they will be transferred to the hutch at night (with a light) and then once they are sleeping without it they will be put together with the older ones. Unfortunately, two of them may be a little late.
The reason for that is that last night we got in a lone duckling (a Pacific Black- just like the rest of them). Where his siblings or his Mother got to, I don’t know. So he wouldn’t fret, I took two of the smallest ducklings from the second group that came in and put them in with this little guy. So far, they have been good buddies for him. The reason why I didn’t put him in with them was because he is too young, and too small. They could trample him and make it hard for him to get food and water. Once he is older and bigger, he will be put with them. The only problem is his two ‘buddies’ will then miss out a little because they are keeping him company. Hopefully he will start getting bigger pretty quickly soon (ducklings tend to “grow before your eyes”), and mingling him with the rest won’t be a problem.
Last night’s arrival brings the current grand total to twenty-one.
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