We have had a bit of a nightmare with our latest set of ducklings. These were due to hatch under Banana, one of our female ducks and indeed we started to hear cheeping two nights ago. Trouble is, so did Red, our leghorn cross who had her own set of eggs in the next box, but decided she wanted Banana’s set instead. Sadly the result was a crushed duckling in its shell. We ended up giving Banana the two ducklings that had hatched and putting her and them in our aviary and popping the rest of the eggs (8) under a broody hen. Said broody dutifully hatched out a further six cuteness bundles which we dutifully ‘returned’ to Banana, before returning the eggs to the broody that she had originally been sitting on.
I think everyone got a bit dizzy but order has now been restored - and it definitely looks like we have a Chocolate colouring or two in this brood – exciting!!