More ducks as our third clutch of 13 eggs hatched out in the early hours of this morning. This latest set all belong to Orange, who is a Muscovy X Runner although the eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that the ‘mum’ in this photo is actually Hedgerow Broody!! She HAD been sitting on seven Indian Game eggs but when we candled them on day 8, NONE were fertile. We have no idea why but can only conclude that our cockerel (before he died) either did not mate with the female IG whose eggs these were, OR he was infertile… who knows! Anyway, in order for Hedgerow to have some babies, we gave her three of Orange’s ducks eggs. She hatched all three but for some reason one died the same night!!! She is more than happy with her remaining two although NOT so happy that we have removed her from her ‘hedgerow’ and brought her into the stables.
It will be interesting to see whether these choose to stay with their adopted mum or seek the company of their siblings and ‘birth mum’. We have decided to leave them all in the stables so they can come and go as they please. Orange can be quite a ferocious mum as can Hedgerow, so fingers crossed she won’t lose of these ducklings.