Gertie & the Seven Dwarfs

Late in 2008, I came accross some Indian Runner Ducks that needed somewhere to live.  I decided they would be a great substitute for herding as I didn't have any sheep at home.  Hence came the "Seven Dwarfs", Grumpy, Bashful, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey & Doc.  A week later whilst at a produce store picking up dog food, I came accross a sad little brown Indian Runner that was all alone in a cage, she became Gertie.

A few months later, after we established that there were 6 females and 2 males, eggs started to appear.  As Indian Runners do not brood (sit on their eggs), the search began to find an incubator or a broody Muscovey Duck.  As luck would have it, a lovely lady who lives not far away had Runners and an incubator, so, I started collecting.  The first batch were due to hatch at Easter, but due to a power surge, the incubator had a shut down and we lost alot of the eggs.  With the girls laying between 20 -30 eggs a week, there should be a new batch due each week-end for a couple of weeks, so now we wait.

The end of April sees a couple of eggs hatch, finally.  At least we know things are OK in the "ducky" department. Below are photos taken of some babies that are only a day or two old.  Soooo cute.

 May 12 - Another visit with the babies. Wow, haven't they grown.  There are now a couple more and they will come home very soon.

             Aren't they just adorable !!!

 We have had "Gertie" decide she is not a normal Indian Runner Duck and she is now sitting on 10 eggs.  She was sitting on 7 first and then 2 weeks later another 3 appeared.  We will wait and see if she takes them through to hatching.  Well, here we are  4-5 weeks on, and the eggs are hatching.  Six of the seven hatched, but 1 little baby didn't make it, and the 7th egg was a "dud".  There are 2 blackish-brown ones and 3 yellow (white).  She is still sitting on the nest and showing the babies what to do. 

Another 2 weeks past and 2 of the 3 remaining have hatched.  The first of these 3 late hatchers did not start well, and I think "Gertie" is well over the new hatchling thing, and she left the nest.  I hand raised the first baby for 24 hrs and she is doing well, even if she thinks I am mummy.  She has been affectionately nicknamed "Baby".  "Baby" spent her first 48hrs with me in a box with a light, at work  and at home. Right is a photo taken of 'Baby" at work on my desk.  She now has 2 friends, "Poppy" and "Bella". They have been set up in the duck pen with the others, but separate, as they big ducks were a little rough.  "Baby" and "Bella" are yellow (white) and "Poppy" is a dusky-blue colour (she came from the incubator to keep "Baby" company until "Bella" hatched).  They are supposed to be teaching each other how to be ducks.

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