Today our duckies are 2 years old. Today is their hatch day!

Two years ago today our duckies were hatched and two days later they arrived from Metzer Farms via US Post Office. Our duckies were hatched on Tuesday October 12, 2010 and delivered to the local post office near Gonzales, CA for mailing that same day.  They arrived Thursday October 14, 2010.  Below is the first picture taken of them while still at the Post Office in Moseley, VA.

Here is a link to a youtube video of our duckies first week with us.

They're Here!  This is a link to our blog post from their arrival at our home.  You can see pictures of them on their first day with us on this post.

http://irishmamaduck.blogspot.com/2010/10/theyre-here.html

Happy Hatch Day to our feathered family members.  The pictures below were taken with a phone yesterday and are not good quality but you can see all of them.  We lost Keelyn due to illness and injury, but all the rest of our five duckies are happy and healthy.

Happy Quacks!!

TWO broken legs

Keelyn has two broken legs up near the knees probably due to low calcium not trauma. without surgery this will be a long slow recovery. we need to add calcium and vitamins to the girls diet.

Actually it is her femurs that are broken.  One of the breaks is at nearly a right angle causing nerve impairment with possible permanent nerve damage.

*tears*

My poor baby girl Keelyn...

Keelyn's been having a rough, rough time lately.  Her bumble foot came back, and within a day she had horribly reinjured her eye.  The boys have been getting very excited with it being spring (and it's their first mating season, so they are extra agressive and rough when mating), and Kouta tried to mount her backwards and scratched her eyelid right open...*sigh*  MamaDuck has been one big worry wart the past week or so.

We got her on another round of Baytril (antibiotics) and Metacam (anti-inflamatory) for her infection, and we also had been trying to keep her eye clean and sanitized with OTC eye ointment.  However, despite being on an antibiotic and such, her eye and the side of her face was swelling and was causing her great irritation and discomfort.
So this morning we emailed this picture to our Vet and explained the situation, and then called as soon as they opened and left a voice mail.  (We are so blessed to have such a caring and knowledgable Vet.)














He called back and went ahead and got us a perscription ready for some medicated eye ointment.

Got home and immediately put it on her eye, and I am soooo sooo sooo glad to say that she's actually able to keep her eye open, and it's not foaming.  We still need to keep up with the Baytril, Metacam, and the eye ointment multiple times a day (for atleast 10 more days, possible another round of Baytril after that...), but I'm just glad we got something that is working and is actually helping.

If you have ducks, it is so important to find a Vet who treats waterfowl (not just exotic birds like parrots or such), most of the time  you have to travel a while to get to one, or if you find one they are very expensive.  We feel very blessed that we found one very close that is at normal Vetrinarian rates.

The flock got a nice treat and spent almost all day outside in the yard today.  GrMa Duck had to do some "work from home" work, so she brought it out on the deck to keep an eye on everyone.  MamaDuck also spent some time with them out in the yard.  Only once did I have to chase them out of the front yard (they are getting a bit too curious and adventurous for my liking lately).  Although it provided a huge amount of entertainment when I hearded them back around the azelea bushes toward the steps (pictured in earlier posts) and every single one of them (except Queenie) took a running start and flew about 6 feet over the ledge of the brick wall next to the steps to land on the ground below.  Darrick got a bit startled when big ol' Kouta landed very gracefully right on top of him! Tehehe.  I so wish I had the camera out!

Well, coming to a close of a day starting out stressfull and worriesome, only to become relaxing and happy.  Going to be giving Keelyn her meds again soon before it starts getting dark.

~MamaDuck

ANTICIPAAAATION....

is makin' me wait.

Getting very very excited. We found out that since Monday was Columbus day (a postal holiday) that they did not hatch or ship untill today (tuesday). We thought that this was going to delay them another day, but hopefully that won't be the case.  According to the USPS' Expedited shipping guaranteed arrival date/time they should arrive before 3p tomorrow Wed. the 13th.  :D  We are hoping and praying that this is true and they don't get stuck another day in the shipping process.
I will be putting fresh batteries in the camera tomorrow, so be prepared for LOTS of pictures :D

-MamaDuck

In the words of GrandmaDuck "This is like emotional labor." :)

The babies are hatching today!!! :D

Happy Birthday Duckies!!!  <3

The hatchery controls when they hatch through the temperature, so they are hatching today, and will be shipped this afternoon.

Gr-MaDuck and I (MamaDuck) have been praying that they are strong and healthy and are protected through the whole shipping process, that every person to handle them would be kind and loving.  Also that they would have their own unique and identifying personalities, and bond well with all three of us (Gr-DaddyDuck, Gr-MaDuck, and MamaDuck).

We got alot of work done this weekend, but we've still got more work to do.  We have family coming this weekend for our annual Pumpkin Day, and we also are preparing for that, I'm sure the kids are going to love seeing the babies so small and fluffy. :)

Stay tuned for more updates and photos. :)

-MamaDuck

duck aviary - part 1

MamaDuck and Gr-DaddyDuck got all the posts and headers in the ground for the duck aviary. They did this all on Saturday.  (Well Gr-DaddyDuck dug a few holes and painted the posts with roofing tar the day before.)  We are so grateful to God for the 4+ days of steady rain that softened the ground enough that we could dig holes without renting an auger. Gr-MaDuck's only contribution for this phase: taking pictures and pulled staples out of the top of the posts.

We choose an oval shape because we thought it would look more natural in our backyard.  This is a natural not manicured yard which slopes and is surrounded by woods.  I (Gr-MaDuck) thinks it looks pretty good.
It is approximately 42 ft x 30 ft (~1050 sq ft)

Next two phases: 

Build and hang the gate

(gate and header posts already in the ground),

then attach the wire mesh

1/2" inch galvanized hardware cloth on the bottom (skirted)

and chicken wire on the top.