Kitchen Garden Forum

Fabulous pictures, Alan.....and the flock increases.

They grow so fast don't they? Very cute at this scruffy stage.

Westi wrote:They grow so fast don't they? Very cute at this scruffy stage.

Scruffy is what I call them affectionately as long as they're replacing their fluff with final feathering.

If you're sick of chick pics, I think I will be posting some duckling pics by the end of the week!
The Welsh Harlequin eggs are due to hatch in three days and my son tells me he can hear "cheeping" from the 17 eggs in the incubator. A promising sign, so fingers crossed for a good hatch.

And we will look forward to seeing them too.....

Alan, you are going to have so many birds, so many eggs or is the plan to sell on the chicks - or is this the start of the Egg Enterprise? I also look forward to seeing the pics of the ducklings - too cute!

I suspect Alan is recreating "Chicken Run"

Alan. It,s half term week. Perhaps you should open up your hen and duck area for a kids petting or watching area. You'd probably be inundated with mums wanting to buy your eggs and a good opportunity to get them to try duck eggs.

Things are moving now. Four of the ducklings hatched so far and drying off in the incubator. Looking very active and lively. There should be more tomorrow. Then it will be off to the brooder. Happy day!

Can't resist posting this. Many more hatched overnight. Thirteen very active ducklings so far.

I love duck eggs but our council rules won't allow us to keep them on the plot , you are doing well alan

I'm fascinated watching the progress! great pics Alan.

There are now 14 and already they're out of the incubator and in the brooder running and jumping, eating and drinking like mad things!

Here they are in the brooder. Sorry about the colour, but at the moment they are under the infra-red lamp. Later they will be under the heated brooder (the yellow thing on the right).

Adorable Alan!

No tutting now everyone - but Alan, do the ducklings also imprint on the first thing they see like a chicken? When I did my school zoology class we all took a hen's egg home to hatch. It was amazing when we walked into class along the corridor - all these big feet & these wee yellow fluff balls all knew which were theirs & well good at dodging as well. As I recall they lost that bond quite quickly & went back to the guy that gave the school the eggs eventually.