Moving day for the ducklings

Back in April, 3 ducklings hatched from some Indian runner duck eggs I'd been incubating at Newhouse Farm. It was a difficult hatching process, and at times I didn't think 2 of the ducklings would make it. But they fought hard for their lives and turned into 3 gorgeous healthy little ducklings nicknamed the Soggy Bottom boys. Pictured here at just a few days old they were so small I could fit them in the palm of my hand, and marvel at how a simple egg could turn into these brown fluffy things that looked a little bit like mice with large feet and beaks!

By 21st May the ducklings had grown so much they were too big for their pen where they'd been living happily with 4 Maran chicks I'd also incubated. It was an endearing sight to see these strange bedfellows all sleeping peacefully side by side. But the ducklings had grown up and it was time to separate them from the chicks so that they could join the adult ducks in the duck and goose area. Unbeknowst to the ducklings, the adult ducks they were going to be joining were actually their parents, and I wondered if there would be any instinctive sign of recognition from either side.

I opened the door of the duck and chick pen and tried to usher the ducklings outside. They were reluctant to leave the security of their pen, and kept charging back towards it as the chicks looked on passively from inside. Eventually I lost patience and picked the ducklings up one by one and carried them to the duck area. Once they were inside I stood back to watch what would happen. The first few of minutes the ducklings remained by the gate, desperately trying to squeeze through and run back to the safety of their pen. Then they turned around and began to tentatively explore the space around them, pecking at the grass and tottering towards the stream with their ungainly walk.

With a plop and a squeak the first duckling slid into the stream, followed swiftly by its 2 siblings. You know the saying about how a duck takes to water? Well, these ducklings were no different. No sooner had they started to paddle in the stream than all thoughts of returning to their pen evaporated from their minds. I watched as they swam down the stream towards the pond where they encountered their parents for the first time. There was no sudden Hollywood movie style rush of recognition, but the ducklings must have realised the adults were other members of their kind, because they naturally began to follow them around the pond.

Moving day for the ducklings was complete. Like many teenagers who leave home for the first time the ducklings didn't look back, whilst I watched from the sidelines and saw them embark on their adult life with the ducks. But that's enough of sentimentality! I have to keep reminding myself that these ducklings aren't pets but poultry. They are raised at the farm in order that we may use their produce, both eggs and meat.

A couple of days on and the ducklings are inseperable from their parents, especially the male duck Marlon. Wherever he goes, they follow him like 3 brown shadows. He reminds me of the cool older kid at school, who's followed around by a gang of adoring younger kids who worship his every move. And of course, being on the bottom rung of the pecking order, the ducklings haven't escaped a few knocks and bruises. Nigel the Muscovy duck has proven intolerant of the ducklings cramping his space at the food bowl, and he grabs and tugs at the ducklings' feathers whenever they venture too near.

Don't worry, we didn't leave the chicks home alone for much longer after the ducklings moved out. Moving day for the chicks followed a couple of days later as we picked them up and placed them in the chicken house. Just like the ducklings they initially tried to escape, but then began to explore their new surroundings. Now the chicks are to be seen out and about in the chicken area, scraping around the base of the willow trees for bugs and grubs, and refusing to come in at night without a lot of persuasion.