xChicken04x Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Hi all, as some of you may know, we are currently incubating duck eggs, only one looks like it is developing Anyway, lonely duckling is due to hatch in 10 days. I really don't want a lonely duckling that cries when ever I leave it, so today we bought 4 chicks to keep it company when it hatches! Just in time for Easter . Two were only hatched yesterday, and the other two are about 4/5 days old . I have some pictures but they aren't very good, due to the fact it is now dark and the red light makes them too bright. I will take better ones tomorrow. They have pretty much been eating, drinking and sleeping all day. Poor things are really tired. The two bigger ones ate and drank straight away, the baby ones took a bit longer, but only by a few mins. They are so sweet, one of them tried to dust bath on the towel . They are all sleeping at the moment, one of them is cuddled under their surrogate Mum (teddy bear to you and me.) I thought they would be too young to scratch around, but they are giving it a go on the towel . So what do you think? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Hi all, as some of you may know, we are currently incubating duck eggs, only one looks like it is developing Anyway, lonely duckling is due to hatch in 10 days. I really don't want a lonely duckling that cries when ever I leave it, so today we bought 4 chicks to keep it company when it hatches! ... So what do you think?xx Erm, I'm thinking "imprinting". ':?' There once was a pretty duckling that thought it was a chick ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 oh gosh what can i say they are so cute do you know what sex they are yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Aww, they are lovely! What breed are they? Have you gone for a sexable breed, or will you have to sort out the cockerels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 How lovely. Aren't chicks cute?! Love your description of their dustbathing efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 oh my gosh i would squeal so much if they were mine i would be the one crying when it was left alone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 What are they - they look like Cream Legbar girls or Welsummers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 23, 2008 Author Share Posted March 23, 2008 Thank you for your lovely comments! They are all sleeping now, they sleep so funny, just flat out on the floor . One of them was so tired she just kept falling farward until her beak was touching the floor and then done a forward roll . I can hear them all cheeping for me, but I'm doing my best to ingnore them, once they have gone quiet I will go and check on them. The cats were suprisingly not bothered, well one of them is terrified of them . As for the cockerels...... . Only joking . They are all female, they are Cream legbars . The females are yellow with dark brown stripes, the male are ginger with brown stripes and a white dot on his head. The lady asured us they are female. She shown us the eggs the mothers lays, they are bright blue . Anyway, lots more photo's to follow . xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Like I said, they look like female Cream Legbars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figlette Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 They are absolutely adorable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 How lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Wait until the little one is at least a week old before you put them together so it can grow a bit. If these are 5 days old and duckies not due for 10 days theres going to be big differences between their sizes and maturity. I know I was advised against getting a week old to keep my day old company as even at that tender age they can bully. They're very cute though and if you do find you can't put them intogether what an excuse to get some mor e:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 Thanks again for the comments, and thank you Bronze, will take that on boad . Ok, more (better) pictures . I couldn't figure out how to take pictures with out them coming out red, until I realized I just needed to move the infra red heat lamp slightly . Anyway here they are . It's difficult to get a good picture of them, they move too fast . They all went to bed at about 10:45 after I made sure they had their supper. If you tap the crumbs they come running over to see what you have got and join in, and if you tap the drinker they all run over and have a drink too . They are so sweet . All snoozing around mother hen (teddy bear's) bless them . xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 they are so pretty how lucky you are! it would be lovely if you post pictures at regular intervals for us to see how they grow to adult hood. I have seen how quickly they grow as i am 1st time chicken owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 Some sad news today, little Bonnie had to be culled. I don't think she has been very well from the start, she was weaker than the rest. Their brooding lamp bulb blown last night while we were sleeping. That was the final straw for Bonnie, I tried warming her up with a hot water bottle and giving her food/water, but she was too unwell. Anyone would have thought she was dead if she wasn't breathing, she was floppy, couldn't even lift her head, so had to be culled. She wanted to sleep, but couldn't because she was in too much discomfort and couldn't breathe properly, I gave her 3 hours of TLC, but she was getting worse and I was just pro-longing her death. So she is no longer with us. I think it was just "one of those things" . I'm feeling bad at the moment, so wont stay for long. I will post some pictures of the other girls tomorrow. Here is a picture of Bonnie: RIP Bonnie, hopefully you are out of any discomfort now. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Oh i am so sorry, but you did the right thing for her, and thats all anyone can ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phonix Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 awww that must be awful for you. But im sure that you have done the right thing by her. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovemychooks Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Oh i'm so sorry to hear about Bonnie. It's amazing how attached you get to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Thank you all for your lovely wishes. Here are some pictures of the remaining babies: Pom Pom again And again.... Mrs Doyle and Biggles. Note Biggles's (on the left) little hair do! Mrs Doyle and Biggles again. Pom, looking confused . Mrs Doyle. All of them. Mrs Doyle. Close up of Mrs Doyle (looking slighty worried.) Pom and Biggles, Pom is tiny in comparison! Biggles and Pom again. All three of them. Again.. Last one...They're looking sleepy now. They have grown so much! Pom is the youngest, only a week old, but the most feisty! Biggles and Mrs Doyle are 12 days, and are always up to mischief! They have learnt to fly to the top of the brooder and perch on my arm, Pom needs a bit of a lift though, she should be able to fly in about a week. Well that's it for now! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 theyve got good tails going on havnt they. I'm very impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted March 30, 2008 Author Share Posted March 30, 2008 Ummm, I don't know....have they? I've never had chicks before so I wouldn't know . Thank you, I will pass the compliment on . xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Very cute - they grow like weeds don't they?! Love their little mohicans. Sorry to hear about Bonnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Lovely pictures. Sad news about Bonnie, but you have done the kindest thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...