[daveinmanc]

finally managed to get the ducks monday from our man  at chelford, who was about to drive off just as we arrived, so another two minutes and we'd have thought he'd let us down!  to be fair though, he said the day had been quiet and he thought we weren't coming lol  

no names as yet, although i'm quite liking 'steve' for the drake lol, dont ask why, he just looks like a steve to me lol. . . . . .



they were very thirsty and straight away went for a drink in the sink. . . .


and of course they just have to stand all over their food  . . . lol







this is the morning after picture of one of the girls getting stuck into some lettuce, cant believe the difference in their coats after they'd each spent about an hour in the sink cleaning and preening thereselves, don't think they must have had access to a bath where they'd come from, they just wouldn't get out of the sink lol  





as you can tell by the colour later that evening  . . . . . . .









and, bless 'em, they even started to use my duck ramp the morning after , although it did take a bit of convincing to get them to come out, they were so cuddled up and warm in their house just yawning and quacking  





apparently they're this years birds, about 4 months old (ish) i thought the drake looked older cos he's so much taller than the girls but that might just be me. . . . .  . lord knows what they're gonna be like when i get the pond set up and filled later . . . . i just know its going to be fun and games watching them, they've been sooooo entertaining so far its hard to stop watching them and get on with anything lol. will post some more later or tomorrow of the pond,  hopefully with 3 happy ducks having fun    

[WG.]

Great stuff Dave.

I'd recommend you put half a concrete block or similar into that sink just in case they have trouble getting out.  Even an adult duck can waterlog, lose body heat and drown if they get stuck in water.

[Selkie]

oh dave they look fabulous  the only problem is that i now want some ducks too....

[WG.]

I remembered this thread which happened before you joined Dewey : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=4162

There is a link to a piccy about half way down the page.

[babe]

aww dave, so cute. it seems ages ago that you started. they look happy. i wouldnt be without my ducks the chitter chatter is the sweetest sound. i hope you get have as much fun watching them as i do.

[Bodger]

Dave mate. At least two of the three look like drakes. :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

The ones with the dark heads.

[WG.]

Dave mate. At least two of the three look like drakes. :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

The ones with the dark heads.

Drake and two ducks IMO.  I did a double-take at first too Bodger but I reckon piccies 2 and (especially) 3 are the telling ones.

[Selkie]

I remembered this thread which happened before you joined Dewey : http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=4162

There is a link to a piccy about half way down the page.

  oh now that is the cutest duckling every daithi; nice story too -- did he/she ever come back to say 'hello'?

and dave, the drake in the 3rd photo has his right leg on wonky!

[Bodger]

Want to put some money on it ? :cry:

I've kept loads of Khaki Campbells in the past.

The one with the darker heads will develop into these.



Where as the ducks at the age shown will show no discernable change in colour around the head and will remain like that and will lay eggs.

[WG.]

Time will tell I guess Bodger.  I kept KC too but had rather too many of them to spot any that switched gender on me.

I was going on the colour of the beak and the body shape in Dave's piccies.

I did think they looked older than 4 months though - what say you?

[Bodger]

I really hope that I'm wrong

[daveinmanc]

thanks people, only just come back to the thread as i've been at the OH's all day finishing off the 'wooden pond' lol. . . . . . thanks for all your comments and i'll try to remember everybody here  . . . . . .

W.G  . . .  i already thought i should put a couple of bricks in to make it easier for them to get out so you've confirmed what i thought i should have already done, i'll get it done, and while i'm on the water subject, any suggestions for the pond i've done ?? it's not too deep, about 10/12 inch's so how about i fix a couple of 'platforms'/ 'shelves to the side to aid them getting out of there too? be dead easy as its erm, made of wood lol  

see below  . . . . . .





apologies for the pics, yes it was dark and they're off my phone, more about questionable phone pics later  . . . . .


rosemary and babe, thanks for your comments too    they're very cute and we've had endless hours of fun already and its only just begun lol. . .


now for this ' debate ' about their sex  . . . .  well, i'm no expert by any means, been years, when i was a nipper, since we had ducks and  . . . . i asked the guy for two ducks and a drake, this is what he gave us and, to me at least, they look like two ducks and a drake  . . . .  they certainly seem to behave like their respective sexes in so much as the drake seems to be acting like the protector, and the 'girls' are busy making there selves look nice lol      

the colours seem very different to me, as in the drake from the ducks

this is what i mean about questionable photo quality off a mobile phone, so  here's a couple of ' daylight ' pics from today if this throws any light on it



now to me, the girls seem a totally different colour to the drake? i get what you're saying about the dark 'crest' on the head but to see them in daylight the plumage looks completely different ?




the drake has a defined green crest to him that surprised  me as some of the pics i've seen of campbells, the drakes seem to lose the 'shine' that mallards have and he's pretty vivid, saw some mallards on the canal at the back of my house this morning and the difference is startling but he's still a lovely lad. also, bear in mind, if it makes much difference, that in some of these pics, the birds are wet lol  :shock: therefore darker looking, they've got that erm  . . . . . .   sort of 'sparrow'  colour to them? not sure how to term it but thats what springs to mind, it's gonna be a surprise indeed if one of the girls turns into one of the boys i know that much lol . . . . . . . . . hmmmm not quite sure how that'll go down  . . . . . .  :shock:

[slowef]

Lovely Dave but you might want to consider a food bowl as any leftover food will encourage rats and its easier to throw out any leftovers if there are any.  Mouldy food is very bad for ducks and it will get wet so better safe than sorry

Sorry to give a negative comment just trying to help :oops:

[daveinmanc]

hello again  

wouldn't ever take a comment as negative, am always happy to hear advice from 'the people in the know'  

to be fair, i should have got one by now and i've just been so busy with building everything that i totally forgot   :shock:

there's enough field mice and shrews n moles n god knows what else around already without me encouraging any more lol . . . . .  might just take that trip over top the pet shop in a few mins !

thanks for the reminder lol  :roll:

[daveinmanc]

had a quick network glitch n duplicated me own post lol  :shock:

quick edit and bobs yer uncle  . . . . . anyway i've got a food bowl to shop for  . . . . . . . lol