Model Railway Forum

We had some extras a few months ago and now we have some more. Unfortunately the mum seemed to be neglecting them and the mums sisters were trampling them so we have had to separate them. Three had already died. Only 14 left. Many eggs didn't hatch as the mum gave up on them. But at least the 14 seem safe. They hatched yesterday.

Seeing those took me back to when my father was alive. We kept chickens. Father got them as day olds via the railway. I remember going to collect them - this was approximately the 1950's.

They were kept warm with a light bulb and fed until Christmas. We would sell them then and have a goose for Christmas dinner our selves ( there were a lot of us). What do ducks eat? There is little meat on them and anyway I prefer chicken. How do you rear them without a parent?
Jim.

The light bulb method. Two extra new ones hatched today inbetween posting the last pic and now.

Lovely. Who's going to teach them to swim?
Ready for Xmas perhaps

Haha. Well, the adult ones will go in the pond but they don't seem to aant to stay in there like other breeds of duck we have had in the past.
We had seven ducks hatch out about two months ago. They are doing well. Origionally we were given six ducks after a fox took our hens. My brother had two of them. The four... Well. One had ten eggs hatch... Fox took a few but even so we had a few left. Then they bred again twice...