Monday, 20th, evening

After the performance of the previous night I half expected 3 more little ducklings in the incubator this morning - not so.

For the breakfast of the 'magnificent 7' I mixed in some grated carrots and chopped dandelion and clover - I thought I'd get them used early on to carrots [said to be a defence mechanism against worms] because our other lots were never keen on them.  They tucked in very well!


Number 8 came out about mid-morning, and I could see a little face peering out of one of Mel's eggs, but then the face pulled back and the egg turned.  That little black duckling, No. 9, hatched mid-afternoon, not long after I took No. 8 out to join the others.  Those 7 seemed frightened at first of the newcomer, but after a few pecks it was accepted into the 'community'.  I think No. 8 might be a mini-Hedda, looks all white out of what I believe was a Hedda-egg, dated 19th May.

I took this photo not long after introducing "mini-Hedda" to the 7.  She does look bigger than the others, I bet she's a Campbell.

In this picture she's right in the middle of the pack.

I couldn't get a decent shot of No.9, being black it blended perfectly into the black inside of the incubator. 

But I took this one out at 9 this evening. I had to use a little lukewarm water to release the umbilical cord from the eggshell, but the little one was fine, although very unsteady on it's great big feet. 

Before leaving this little lot for the night I too some snaps.  At first I had to look hard to spot the newcomer, it was almost hidden in the crowd: