Surprise New Arrivals...

[OverWyreGrower]

We had some surprise new arrivals yesterday for Mr OWG's 30th birthday...

4 5-week old Khaki Campbell ducks

They were a present from one of Mr OWG's friends (who has a few animals etc himself)

Currently they are living in a spare rabbit hutch and run, until we sort out our fencing and buy a duck house

So, in 2 years, we've gone from just having 1 dog to having 2 dogs, 2 rabbits, 4 chickens and 4 ducks.... why is my life never predictable?!

I've spent the day cramming about ducks, having never had them before in my life!!

[lynda66]

awwww i'm so jealous they are soooooo cute ...... methinks they need a bigger bowl though cos that one won't be big enough for them to swim in when they grow

[Nicos]

That's so lovely...lucky you having such a thoughtful friend!!
Do you know if they are male/ female?? ..eggs ....or duck à l'orange????

I rescued 2 Aylesbury ducks a few years ago from someone who'd bought them at a Bank Holiday farmer's market to live in their concrete back yard.
They soon realised they were in need of grass and water rather than concrete....and that they plop slimy bits all over the place!!!.
As my friend has a farm in Hay-on-Wye I offered to take them off their hands and foster them for a couple of weeks until we could nip over to the farm.
They were lovely little things, and twice a day we put them in our bath filled with cold water and they dived down/swam/flapped/groomed/climbed out......


Such fun- and very attentive to us!...Enjoy!

[shirlthegirl43]

What a lovely prezzie! Enjoy them.

[SarzWix]

Oooh, ducks What a great present!
We'd love some and some hens, but they aren't allowed in our garden (it's in the deeds) or on the lottie. They're supposed to be great slug-eaters, without scratching up all the beds like hens do, plus you get lovely eggs.

[squashysu]

ooo they are lovely, are there names Daffy, Huey, Duey & Louie LOL!!

what a lovely pressie, i would love some x

[Newbie]

Awwwwww, Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!

[OverWyreGrower]

That's so lovely...lucky you having such a thoughtful friend!!
Do you know if they are male/ female?? ..eggs ....or duck à l'orange????

They are too young to sex yet, but apparantly drakes will develop darker head feathers and a different quack....

Campbells are good egg layers by all accounts, they are a hybrid bird.

(See, I've been swatting up already!!)

The dog bowl was the only thing I could find that would hold a goodly amount of water!!
The breed are splashers not swimmers, and I've put out a Freecycle message for a childs sandpit. I've also managed to find a medium plastic bedding box that I can use when they are a bit bigger....

They've not got names yet, I've not had enough time to think of them!!

I feel like I'm on a HUGE learning curve, and have been scouring t'interweb for information on keeping ducks!

[willowstar]

awww, very jealous here, I desperately want ducks as they are just so so cute. what a lovely friend. enjoy their quacks!