Caroline Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Well I have been bleating on about ducks for some time... LOL..... and then yesterday, I came home from work and hubby Pete had been to get our new additions! Two little Indian Runner Ducks! awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww they're still fluffy! No names yet so suggestions welcomed! I think they're fawn ...at least they ones with a white collarlook fawn with a white collar...... is that the fawn?? He's built a duck house (ok so it's not an Eglu but y'know) and alsorts, he's aclever boy!! am soooooooooooo excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 Well done on getting your new additions to your family. The closest i will get to indian runner ducks are the wooden ones i have in my garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted July 28, 2006 Share Posted July 28, 2006 What a lovely present lucky you karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 29, 2006 Share Posted July 29, 2006 Congratulations Caroline - you'll love having ducks. Are they a male and female pair or 2 layers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted July 30, 2006 Author Share Posted July 30, 2006 they're a pair bless em..... they've got a lovely big (hehe big enough for LOTS more ducks!!) house to live in which the handy Pete made on the day they arrived. Only thing I'm slightly concerned about is how scared they are. I can't remember the chickens being this scared. they're only babies though I guess so hopefully they'll calm down. They'll be set free around the garden once our visiting dogs have gone. Our dogs don't seem too concerned about them, they just want to know who the newbies are. We're dog sitting at the moment though and one of those dogs seems to think that a duck or a chicke might be a tasty snack. Evil or Very Mad I was carrying a chicken th other day and she snapped at it..... then the clever old chook... next time she jumped up, Mel pecked her HARD! hehe... good girl! anyway, i'm rambling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 30, 2006 Share Posted July 30, 2006 Oooh! more ducklings later in the year then! Our ducks are nowhere near as friendly as the hens - and they quack loudly whenever anyone goes near. They don't take themselves to bed either. We leave them now we have the electric fence set up around the perimeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted July 30, 2006 Author Share Posted July 30, 2006 yep, more ducklings... and Pete even SUGGESTED that!!! wierd. am hoping that with handling every day, they will calm down a bit. We used to have ducks when I was little and I can remember just giving them cuddles and stroking them until they gave up being scared. ...... some stamina I had eh?! - you WILL love me duck!! hehe kinda half hopeful on the going to bed thing too, they're free range so we could do with them learning. There's FAR too many foxes round here for my liking. fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Brilliant news! I remember that Lesley's duck are much more timid than hens. I am sure that with all that handling and love they will bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 I reckon these ducks will be more timid than the hens, I don't remember the hens being this scared..... I suppose they were older but still. they have put themselves to bed two nights in a row tho..... good little duckies! still no names...... I kinda like Askim and Asker... I think i've aready put that on the sig of my post so maybe we'll keep those ones..... unless we get any better ones!! speaking of putting oneself to bed tho...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy C Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Our tro of ducks are very friendly towards people but we did hatch the eggs in our incubator so I suppose we are 'family' as far as they're concerned. when we go out to them around 9.30 pm they seem to know it's bedtime and waddle off into the Eglu. Ours are about 8 weeks old now and have grown really fast, Basil and Sybil are Silver Appleyards and we think Polly is an Aylesbury - and yes they live in Fawlty Towers. I think they are the most adorable creatures ever and we keep a number of different birds. I am putting more pictures in 'First egg' 'Fawlty Towers' album. Enjoy your ducks, we love ours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 the ducks are doing really well, they're getting much braver. they still don't wnat to stand still when we're about but they're not just leggign it as soon as the door is open so it's a start right?! They have let me stroke them in thier duck house now which is good and seem quite happy to stand there and let me tickle them. Pete has built them a rill which is brilliant and they LOVE swimming (obviously) they stay on there most of the day unless they're disturbed. the only temporary issue is that we're dog sitting again and the spaniel is a devil in a dogsuit - she's AWFUL! Bless her, she's a friendly little thing... unless you're a child... or a duck.... or a chicken... or one of my dogs (she leapt on his back and BATTERED him the other day... NASTY!).... or the postman.... the poor postman. she HATES him!! he won't come in the drive anymore! she goes again on sunday anyhow and she's grounded (I've never grounded a dog before!) unless the chooks and ducks are in bed or thereis somebody right beside her! naughty. hmm... startign to think I should be blogging this, it's gettng so long... anyway... shoosh Caroline what I meant to say is... the ducks are fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Nice to hear they're doing so well and becoming less timid. Ours still run as fast as they can waddle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 dammit, dammit - I just typed SUCH a long post and the computer ate it! I just cam eon to say that the duckies are doing really well and seem to be happy. They're getting really brave and send teh chickens packing when they get too close now! they were getting it beaten out of them by the chooks at one point! They aren't frightened of the dogs anymore.... at least not unless the youngest pup forgets he's a softie and decides to play catch the duck! Generally it's all very peaceful tho. One thing I would say is that altough it's commonly said that Runners don't need water, ours absolutely LOVE theirs! They spend the majority of the day splashing and racing around in the rill. Runners might not need water but ours certainly love playing in it!! pics at http://www.mattesdoncottagecrafts.org.uk/ducks.htm might have posted them before - can't remember.... need to do an update too, they're WAY bigger and prettier than this now!! Right - back to work as the boss is mooching round today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
