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Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:34 am
by robo
Funny you should mention curries but on a programme I was watching last week they said curries were eaten by farm families in the 1800s it formed a large part of their staple diet
On out allotment open day two years ago I won six eggs in a wire holder the eggs were perfect white and very nice
Alan are you selling your chickens when they are of age

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:41 am
by alan refail
A few pictures of our new Welsh Harlequins, now just eight and a half weeks since hatching as fluffy yellow ducklings. Out and about in the field this morning. My, they do grow fast!

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Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 11:46 am
by alan refail
robo wrote:Alan are you selling your chickens when they are of age


All we have sold so far is a nice breeding trio of the new Harlequin ducks. We may sell a few of the new chickens later in the year or next year.
What we are planning for next year is to breed good birds and sell a lot of them.
We have a hatch of MarsBar chicks due on Wednesday and if all or most of 16 hatch I'm sure we will have to sell some of them.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 12:06 pm
by Primrose
They re lucky ducks and hens Alan to live in such a lovely environment. No wonder the eggs taste lovely and radiate happiness! . Just sad to think of all those poor battery hens.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 5:35 pm
by alan refail
A bit of Ooh! and Aah! for a Sunday evening.

Some pictures of the beautiful Cayuga ducklings we bought yesterday. They are coming up to three weeks old and have been allowed a little exploration time in the big duck run.
The other is the little Cayuga drake, who is only about ten days old and spending a few days in the brooder.

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Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 7:14 pm
by Primrose
You can't help falling in love with these little creatures, can you?

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2019 8:11 pm
by alan refail
Primrose wrote:You can't help falling in love with these little creatures, can you?


I seriously like all chickens, Primrose, but I have to say that I am absolutely in love with ducks.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2019 3:31 pm
by Stephen
but I got the impression people liked to hear how things are done in different parts of the world.

Yes, it is fascinating.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2019 4:18 pm
by alan refail
UPDATE from the poultry farm

The last hatch of the year is nearly complete. So far, from 16 eggs we have 13 chicks and we'll give the remaining three till tomorrow night before we give up on them. It's a fine way to end the hatching year. Picture to follow when they are all in the brooder.
Now we have to raise them and decide what to do with them :wink:
Another of the spare Welsh Harlequin drakes we swapped for a nice bottle of wine this afternoon.

Now all thoughts are on planning for next year.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 5:26 pm
by alan refail
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Some of yesterday's hatch of 14 MarsBar chicks in the brooder.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:36 pm
by robo
Alan ,do ducks start laying eggs the same as chickens around 21 weeks old ,sorry to myther you but I'm interested

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 6:46 pm
by alan refail
robo wrote:Alan ,do ducks start laying eggs the same as chickens around 21 weeks old ,sorry to myther you but I'm interested


No need to apologise. Ducks start laying about 20 weeks and upwards.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 7:14 pm
by Westi
Cuteness overload Alan!

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 9:57 am
by Primrose
Alan
Do you have any advice for a contact of mine who's trying to incubate some eggs from a deserted wild female mallard's nest in her garden which was abandoned two/three weeks ago when the bird was disturbed and distressed by a branch falling on her whilst in the nest?

. She's been turning the eggs every day in her airing cupboard but has no idea whether the eggs are likely to be viable, or what to do if any of the eggs hatch. She's been soaking dried earthworms to feed them on just in case they hatch.

Re: New kids on the block - New birds in the flock

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 11:31 am
by alan refail
I don't like to say it, Primrose, but she's set herself a real challenge. I'm not sure that an airing cupboard will work. When duck eggs are in the incubator the temperature needs to be at 37.5°C (99.5°F) and relative humidity at 55% - those figures mimic the actual body temperature and dampness of the brooding duck.
[edit] By the way, I forgot to add that duck eggs take 27 days to hatch so I estimate that soon, if not already, they will be pretty nasty and smelly inside.