Let’s talk about ducklings. Again.

by Veronica on March 16, 2011

in Animals

The unusual thing about this photo is not that I have ducklings sitting on my bench in a container – again, it’s that there are three of them and I found them before they’d started the dying process seriously. We could also argue that I probably shouldn’t put cold ducklings into a refrigerator box, but that box was the only one handy as I had handfuls of ducklings and anyway, it’s sitting on a hot water bottle.

3 days after I had 17 ducklings stolen, I had another 9 hatch to the last duck sitting. These are the last ducklings of the season, before the long cold months send the ducks off the lay and mean that any ducks unfortunate enough to try sitting will likely lose their eggs to the cold, or newborn babies to a frost.

These nine ducklings were doing really well – the mother is relatively good at it and everything was going perfectly.

But I found a duckling dead this morning and so I when we got home from dropping Amy at school, I did a quick look around and found these three babies doing quite badly. Quite badly means that they didn’t run away, or flail about when I picked them up to bring inside.

I’m not sure if it’s the cold damp weather, or what’s going on, but they should be okay now. All three have had some sugar water and I can hear quiet peeping from behind my monitor, so I suspect a full recovery will be made. In fact if the panicked peeping when they just saw Nathan is any indication, then they’ll be fine.

Ducklings are fragile creatures and I can see why clutches of up to 20 are hatched, when they seem to die at drop of a hat. Not like baby chickens, who are tough and can be brought back to health from the brink of death.

On the stolen duckling front, we still don’t know anything. The local policeman called in yesterday to see if we had heard anything, but we haven’t and neither has he, which is frustrating.

So that’s me.

What’s the strangest thing sitting on your bench today?

 

Dorothy March 16, 2011 at 10:38 am

I’m glad the surviving ducklings are ok. It was lucky that you found them when you did. I hope they stay OK.

I have a Yoda keyring watching over me as I type. Gift bestowed on my from my 8 year old…

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 3:29 pm

A few hours later and they’re back outside with their mother and doing perfectly well.

Taz March 16, 2011 at 10:45 am

where are the other 5?

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 3:32 pm

They were outside with their mother still.

Jayne March 16, 2011 at 11:23 am

Glad you managed to snaffle the survivors!

Was talking to a lady recently and someone has helped themselves to not only the fruits of her VERY extensive vegie garden (stripped bare, not a bean, pea, tomato, radish, carrot or spud to be found) but they cleaned up her 5 apple, 3 pear, lemon and lime trees.
Stripped.Bare.
Not a skerrick remaining.
While she was out shopping for 2 hours.

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 3:33 pm

SERIOUSLY? I would be furious.

Happy Elf Mom March 16, 2011 at 12:44 pm

In American English, a “bench” is the part of a picnic table where you sit.

Ok, the strangest thing on my table is a pottery apple baker. We keep it there for display because “Emperor” doesn’t want it tucked away. 🙂

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 3:40 pm

We call them benches too, sort of. I think you’d call it a counter?

Tanya March 16, 2011 at 1:04 pm

when we were little and we used to have ducklings on the brink of going to duck heaven, mum used to help them warm up with a hairdryer on low setting.

It worked very well on them.

Note: Don’t use it to revive and warm up your mobile phone, apparently that is the worst thing you can do when your phone has fallen into the bath. :/

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 5:21 pm

I’ve done that here too!

Libby March 16, 2011 at 1:27 pm

I don’t know how you handle all the duckling deaths. I would be crying all the time. Love that these guys are doing well though.

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 5:26 pm

A good solid upbringing, where we had animals die/get slaughtered often. It’s life. I’m usually sad, but okay. I was devastated by the thefts though.

river March 16, 2011 at 1:32 pm

On my table I have a peg which I use to clip the connection cords together when I unplug them from the computer. Also a salt shaker with fish food for my fighter. Along with all the usual stuff.

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 5:26 pm

I have all the usual stuff too, which is probably why I can never find anything.

Farmers Wifey March 16, 2011 at 2:56 pm

They are so cute and from one “mother” to another, we are doing such a great job. We have now had 5 batches of baby guineas since Xmas, we have 4 different ages and sizes in the cage with a mother, and yesterday another mother bird brought a brand new batch of 17 home…we are trying to get them undercover too as it is wet.

We will have alot to talk about on Saturday!!

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 5:29 pm

Oh that is fantastic!

Tassiegal March 16, 2011 at 4:16 pm

wierdest thing on my desk is actually your jar of relish!

Veronica March 16, 2011 at 6:10 pm

Yay for relish!

Barbara March 16, 2011 at 7:27 pm

My table is covered in crap. Kids colouring stuff, filing, bumbags for walking, keys, a hair brush, fruit, more paper, more colouring stuff. I can’t actually see the lovely bright table cover I bought anymore!

Well done on rescuing the ducklings. It must be such a relief everytime you bring them back from the brink.

Gina March 16, 2011 at 7:35 pm

Yay for healthy ducklings!
Considering my desk is my bed at the moment I would have to say the weirdest thing on it is my laptop 😉

BendyGirl March 16, 2011 at 8:52 pm

Yeay for more ducklings! Hope they’re still doing well? My Bagpuss hot water bottle is sitting at the table next to me – which some might consider strange 😉 BG Xx

Marylin March 16, 2011 at 10:30 pm

Hmm, I have an embossing heat tool on my kitchen bench… just waiting for some alone time to use it properly! 😉
x

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