Ducklings &
Goslings
Early in the year we received
two dozen Aylesbury duck eggs from Scotland.
We placed half under a broody hen and the rest in an incubator. Unfortunately,
nothing happened. In early July we obtained four ducklings and two goslings,
from a local supplier. We placed them in one of the empty rabbit enclosures
with a large container of water. We decided to place then there on
a temporary basis until they had become a little bigger, so that the cats
would leave them alone. They started to grow quite rapidly and doubled
their size in two weeks.
We then decided to move them into the pond enclosure
within the cottage garden. I built a wooden ramp to help them into and
out of the water, however for the first week or two they preferred to climb
up and down the steep banks to get into and out of the pond. Nowadays, they
take either route. They ate
all the bind weed within a day - saving me the job of removing it every fortnight.
Unfortunately they have also started to eat away at out lovely six foot reeds.
As for the cats they view them with curiosity, but never go near them.
Only two of the ducks have names. One was called "Tiny
Tots", because he was so much smaller than the others, however this was short
lived, as all the ducks are now the same
size and we have no idea which one is "Tiny Tots". Another duck is named "Lone Star" because he has a white
spot on his neck. One of the
geese is called "Curtsy", because her
bottom features stick out as though she is performing a curtsy. The
geese are very protective of the ducks and themselves and will approach you
squawking and hissing, however its all show with no malice as they have never
attempted to attack anyone.
Presently, the geese have got so large
that I am in the process of building another goose/duck house.
