Duckling (1 Viewer)

Last night my neighbour came over with a day old (possibly less than a day) duckling - I think she said it is a Black East Indian...?

She keeps a huge menagerie of ducks/chickens etc etc.

Anyway, she had absolutely no idea that one duck had hatched 9.
Unfortunately, she went up to her pond yesterday evening, and there, floating on top were 8 little ducklings. Apparantly this particular duck is not the best mother in the world. The ducklings had followed her into the pond and were unable to get out.

Usually my neighbour places bricks and things to aid the ducklings in getting out of the pond.
As she was looking at the poor mites floating, she heard a feeble cheeping. She looked around and found the duckling had fallen into a small crack. She put it with its mother, who rejected it completely.

Therefore, she asked me whether I would like to look after it for a few days. I set up a box, with a lamp and water and a small furry mouse and cat that belongs to "the cat" etc. It cuddled up straight away with the toy mouse. At first it was very quiet, and I didn't expect it to survive the night. Until, that is, it started cheeping around midnight.

I brought the box into the bedroom, (after persuading my other half that the duckling couldn't possibly stay on its own in the kitchen) and from midnight until after 3 a.m. every half hour or so, it cheeped. And it cheeped. It was drinking water and managing to splash it all over the box and seemed fine. Unlike hubby who rose at 6.30 am for work this morning after a night of cheeping!

I am now waiting for the neighbour to bring some duck food for it, but thankfully out of this sorry tale, it looks as though it's going to survive. The poor bugger being the only one left out of nine.

Eventually it will be returned to my neighbour where it hopefully will live quite happily amongst the other ducks around the pond.

I must admit though, I'm becoming incredibly attached to it. Maybe hubby could build a pond, and we could get a companion for the little one...... then another...then another.....

nice tale helen, one happy duckling, one unhappy hubby you
cant win em all. must try it with the wife ha ha.
bert

Hi Helen, is a photo session planned? ducks are very cute good luck and have fun :t:

Well, he is making progress, eating quite a lot and becoming more active and noisy and preening himself.

I try and keep him in the box most of the day, but as a treat (and because I can't resist), he comes and sleeps in my hand. He likes it when he's in my hand and I cover him with the other so it's dark. He also likes to sit on my shoulder, trying to climb into my hair!

My one concern is that he will become attached to me. Tempting though it is to keep him, he will go back with the other ducks at some point, where I'm sure he'll be much happier.

It's quite difficult trying to get the balance right between him feeling secure sleeping in my hand, and also trying to distance myself from him so that when the time comes to return to my neighbours garden with the pond etc, he'll be ok.

But, all in all, progress is being made!

Sorry to bore you all to tears folks about "my" duck, but he's coming on leaps and bounds.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a name for it, bearing in mind he was the only one to survive....

Cheers
H

Still waiting for the photos Helen

taken a couple, bit since i only have a small APS, i need to have it developed (this week)

These pics are terrible, but it gives you some idea of how cute this little chap is (girl actually). I've now ordered a new digital camera so I'll be trying it out of the duck as soon as I get it (hopefully mid Sept).

Oops.

bless!!

I say more than bless when she's pooping all over the place
Still, she's worth it

Helen - I'm not too good at the birds and the bees (just humans) - how do you know she's a female? I'm racking my brains at the moment for a name (Bess, as in black - but will she remain so?) - most of my inspirational thoughts come at 3 in the morning, so it will probably have to wait until tomorrow. Beauty? - no, too obvious!

Lorenz had one favourite greylag goose called Martina. He didn't name his ducks though.

It's an East Indian Duck, apparantly she's going to stay that colour. I have no idea how ducks are sexed. The "rightful owner" of the duck had a look at her the other day. Basically she held her, had a look underneath, had a prod around and told me he was a she!

Many years ago I also saved one duckling - just an ordinary common-or-garden farmyard duckling. He hatched out in a slightly humped shape and walked with a bit of a limp. Because of his hump I called him Quasimodo. Your duckling is far more beautiful and deserves a beautiful name! How about 'Clio' which means 'the proclaimer' since she appears to be pretty vocal? Or Nina meaning 'little one' or 'flower'. (One dictionary says that Nina was 'goddess of the watery deep'!)

Sal, I think "Baroness von Poo" is appropriate!

Von poo poo surely

like Count Foo foo in Blackadder

Awwwww what a cute lil bird!! I'm rubbish at names though..my last cat was called Singe. It was all I could think of, as he kept burning his whiskers on candles!

Hope you can think of a good name, will rack my brain anyway!

Red kite, at least your cat had a name, our (neighbours cat who has adopted us) goes by the name of......cat

Pete, indeedy.

I always thought 'A l'orange' would be a nice name for a duck