The Natural Method

We had another batch of ducks last week. Normally we do this with our babies. We take them from mama and put them in a cage until they have past the really vulnerable infant stage. In about three weeks they are more than half the size of their mom and ready to be turned loose on the world. That's about the age of this baby 

There is something that we have always discussed but have never done. We always thought there were advantages to leaving the babies with their mothers but, because of the predators we didn't dare. Things started getting better with a combination of Bob tied to the porch at night and the original Mr. Goose.  Donkeys don't like dogs and I don't think they like raccoons. I probably shouldn't have tempted fate with that comment, but we have had very good recent history. A couple years back a neighbor lost about a dozen chickens and we lost nothing. Something was (and is) working right. 

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Last week I had a problem with the goats water tank. I was out working on it when I noticed a duck (that had been setting on eggs) walking around by the edge of the pond. A second look told me that she had an entourage. This is actually zoomed a little. She was very protective. They were tiny and clumsy.

Unless I confused things this is her first picture. They are almost twice that size now. 

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I was closer here and the babies are somewhat larger. I would have scooped up the babies right away if we had any adult fish in the pond. Nothing but fingerlings and they have really multiplied since the rain. Cannot tell the type but they don't seem to be koi or goldfish. Whatever, the ducks are the biggest things in the pond.

Mama duck stuck with this pond because of the other animals in the pasture. It took her a bit to get used to the goats and donkeys but I suppose the babies became more agile as they grew. I was just as concerned as mama when they came out of the pond to feed for the first couple days. Now, everything seems to fit.

Here she is harvesting the spillage from the other critters. I think bugs and the fingerlings mentioned above may become an important part of this mini flock's diet. 

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She is smart enough to know that Feathers (that's the donkey's name) presents no danger with the fence between them. The babies are catching on as well. They can hit the fence at full speed and it's like it isn't even there.

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Feathers may be the most gentle critter we have. I think he will be pressed into service to tote grandkids. Anyway, they all seemed to adapt readily. Today I moved him into the pasture with the Llama and the Goats. That would be on this side of this fence.

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I knew she was becoming more comfortable when mama started routinely dragging the babies out of the pond to feed. It's sort of comical watching the goats avoid stepping on them.

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We are making progress. Today I got up late and they had deserted the comfortable environs of the pond and joined the other birds. I guess they didn't want to wait any longer for breakfast. 

When mama was ready to head back to the pond about five of the flock got separated. I had to herd them over to her. We have another duck about ready to hatch a flock. If this one works out well there is no doubt how we will handle the babies. Mama is invested in the job and saves me an awful lot of work.

I wanted to end with this picture. I'm not sure but that could be a baby chasing the big black dog in the picture. Life is an adventure.