June05
Monday, 6th
After John's birthday celebrations and our wonderful trip to York I think it's high time I took up the diary again. Not much to report, really. Before the end of May we took the duck hut apart (well, I say 'we', but it was mainly John; my left hand was hurting too much) and built it up again near the new "apple tree pond". Fanny and Gertie seem to have settled into their new home. We let them out all Saturday afternoon, and they spent nearly all the time on their old 'home base', the duck pond.
When candling the first 8 incubating eggs two were clear and we removed them. Hope that the six others will hatch on June 15th, brother Hugo's birthday. The six eggs I put in after Valentino was killed are due 3 days later, on our friend Alan's birthday and Mia's!
Shan't type any more now - it's difficult with one hand. I had broken my wrist after all on Wednesday, 25th..
Tuesday, 14th
It was an exciting day yesterday, a big day for our duck eggs. At 7 am
it was 2 days before the first lot's due to hatch on Wednesday. I took
the six out which are due 3 days later and put them into our neighbour's
incubator, because they still need to be turned.
(We were delighted to hear [and see] that 5 of the 10 incubated chicken
eggs of our neighbours' had hatched, 50% success rate is really good.
We had been so worried about the eggs when we looked after them).
For our first 6 I took the incubator out of it's turning cradle, removed egg dividers, decreased temperature slightly and increased humidity - according to instructions.
And then the exciting thing happened: John saw a crack in one of Gertie's eggs (dated 13.5.) when he had a look after lunch - already! On this picture it's the one in front, on the right. Since then "pips" have appeared on three more eggs, and we've seen all of them move except the one on the very right. [PS on the 16th: the little duckling in this egg must have been too weak. John checked. It had died before it could break through the shell.] We spent a lot of time watching yesterday afternoon and evening, as you might imagine.
Was somewhat disappointed this morning when there had been no more development on the first pipped egg. Hope the little duckling hasn't died in the attempt (it happened to one of Peter's chicks).
Wednesday, 15th Hugo's Birthday
Our first duckling popped out of its shell at 4 pm yesterday, no, not the one that pipped first but the one on the very left of the picture above dated 12.5. I had seen the first crack appearing on it from the pips just after lunch, and watched fascinated as little bits of shell "erupted", some dropping off, some in, and the cracks widening with pressure from the inside and then - big excitement - pinky/browny bits of duckling anatomy emerging, turning, withdrawing and emerging again. I rushed into the field where John was mowing to tell him and he came in pretty quickly.
We heard loud cheeping at 10 to 4 and then, to our amazement, the "first
born" burst out of one of Eppi's eggs:
Well, it was a day early, and quite a cheeky little chappie (we think
it's a boy). Once dry we transferred it to its new home, a carboard box
with a dish of water and a brooder lamp over it. It immediately investigated
all around pecking everything and drinking water from the bowl.
When I came downstairs at ¼ to 6 this morning (and yes, I had been up in the night at 20 past 1 - there were no changes in the eggs) the second little duckling was in the same corner of the incubator where the first one had come out. It looked dry, so I assume it hatched about 4 am, 12 hours after the first. It soon started to move about and kick the remaining 4 eggs all over the place.
When we put it into the carton with the first, that one went crazy with
excitement. It clambered all over it, pecked it, nibbled its feathers,
feet, wings - everything it could reach. As it is a little steadier on
its feet than the 2nd it had the advantage, but the second one soon started
to retaliate.What we found amazing is how both ducklings could scratch
their heads, preen their feathers, and drink from the waterbowl (if they
haven't landed in it) from the very beginning. They both pecked all around
the box, stood up tall like proper runner ducks to peer over the boundary,
then topple over and scrabble madly to get upright, cheeping all the time.
The noisy chirping seems to go on whenever they're in distress, we hear
it even from inside the eggs! But when they're content it's more like
a quiet tweeting or twittering.
I had hoped to email family and friends with the first few photos of the
ducklings this morning, but as I was expecting the 9.5. egg to hatch around
10 I hung around in the kitchen and waited. It was making very good progress,
gaps widening, bits sticking out ... then I noticed that 8.5. (which had
been "active" all yesterday morning but then no more) had a
crack appearing from the first little chip which grew and grew. At this
rate it would overtake 9.5. and the 4th hatching would leapfrog the 3rd.
And so it was. 8.5., a big Gertie egg, cut a precision chainsaw path around
the 'big end', and at 5 past noon a big feathery lump and a wing pushed
out the "lid" ... and got stuck. For an hour and ten minutes
the poor duckling struggled to finally emerge at 1.15. It's bigger than
the other two. I put it into the box at quarter past 3, but it didn't
get the big welcome of the second.
No.1 just collapsed on top of it and left it to sleep. 9.5. egg still
hasn't made it, it's now just before 5. I just saw it with a big foot
sticking out as well as a bunch of feathers.
The 13.5. egg which pipped first on Monday seems to have got stuck after lifting a piece of shell the size of a 5p coin. That opening is also at the opposite end of where the others have cut through. Maybe it's a "breech"? I suggested a Caesarean section to John, but he said "keep your hands out!"
John fetched some chick crumbs for our ducklings to start feeding, and
when he changed the bedding in the box he took 2 photos while I held them:
Ahh! 
Thursday, 16th
Here are
3 more photos. On 3sitting you can clearly see the different markings.
The first-hatched is in front, No3 in the food bowl, and No2 behind. You'd
be amazed at what havoc these 3 little things can create in the shortest
space of time. No sooner have you changed the water in the little bowl
than you hear splash, splash, splash, No1 - mainly - jumping in, and the
water is gone. Similarly with the food. They seem to prefer taking it
in water, and they push or clamber over each other to get to it, stamping
in it and even pooping into it, and then usually No3 - the biggest - will
hog it by lying on top of it. We have now changed the water bowl to a
cup - more like the bucket they will get used to later. On the third pic
you can just see the Indian runner 'stand up'. Difficult to capture it
from above ...
We had to help the next two hatchlings out of their shells - the membrane had dried up on 9.5. which had been struggling for so long, and it looked like congealed blood on the 13.5. Gertie egg. Also its left foot looks damaged. Keeping fingers crossed that they'll survive.
We have 5 now - out of the first 6! The second 6 (after Valentino was got) are now 2 days to go to hatching, and all 6 have "pipped".
Friday, 17th our 8th wedding anniversary
We had some presents for our anniversay. Gertie came up with an egg again after 13 days of nothing. But first thing I had had a huge surprise when I came down before 6, and 3 new ducklings were in the incubator, again, a whole day early! That made it 8 ducklings matching the number of years we've been married.
I rushed to tell John, and when I came down again there were 4! I had hardly shut my mouth with the astonishment when I saw the 5th pushing itself out. Just waiting for the last egg now which has got a beak and some feathers out of the shell. We're worried that it's in difficulties like the two from yesterday afternoon.
But those two "assisted births"are doing amazingly well. We put them
inside a separate carton inside a newly prepared big wooden box. The first
one, 9.5., had been chirping very noisily inside the egg, and continued
at a great rate after we "released" it. It ran all around the
box, jumping up and peeping over the top trying
to see the first three.
And it also did many jumps from a standing position, as if on a pogo stick,
with little stubby wings spread out - absolutely hilarious. As it was
still being noisy this morning I put it in with the first three. It received
a welcoming few pecks from No.1, and it's been quiet and happy ever since.
Here it is on the left of this round picture with No.3 spread out on the
food bowl and No.1 trying to join it there, all asleep.
We put the 5 new ones in with the one with the damaged foot. They look
healthy and happy.
Saturday, 18th Mia's and Alan's birthday
We had to help our 11th duckling out at about 10.30 last night. It hadn't made any progress since early morning and we thought the membrane had dried and shrunk around it. John managed to peel a "lid" off the egg and the duckling then pushed out. But the remaining greater part of the shell was still stuck to it's back and wing. John could remove a big chunk of it, and I gently washed off the rest this morning with warm water and a paint brush.
The three assisted births looked a pityful sight with straggly feathers and a narrower head than the others (maybe because the membrane had shrunk around them??) I suggested we call the last one "scrag end", but John said "swan song" - if it grows into a beauty I'll agree!
Amazingly though, even this little "runt" has stood up for
itself very well. We had put all the ducklings together into the big box
after cleaning it out this morning and let 'scrag end' join them. Here
it is bottom left of the round picture and second from left in the oval.
I saw it push another duckling away from "it's" waterbowl and
chase it right across the box! In the picture on the right it is third
from left. It has found its place with the others.
Tuesday, 21st Carl's birthday
We had lots of visitors over the weekend, all keen to see the ducklings who "performed" very well for the cameras. Carl took the best shot of all on Sunday:
I read up a lot on the internet about raising ducklings, and what surprised
me was that all sites agreed that you should give them the opportunity
to "swim" - for brief periods, and making sure they don't chill
- from day 1. So yesterday afternoon ours got their first chance, and
they took to it like the proverbial:
I love the way the one with the "gammy" leg (blue arrow)in the
picture below seems to be saying to its neighbour "shall we go in
then?" Note also how little "scrag end"(red arrow) is not
so scraggy any more - more like 'Baby Spice'?
Wednesday, 22nd
They didn't have a bath yesterday - we were away at Carl's - but today
they had a great go, with the addition of the yellow washing-up bowl.
I put the 3 biggest in one at a time, and all 3 swam straight across and
jumped out. Obviously not ready for that yet.
But I was very pleased to see that after their first short dip they all
came out to have some food, then went in for a second time. They do love
splashing about in the shallow tin. I took it away after 5 minutes or
so, as I didn't want them to get too wet. They spent some time drying
off and preening (that's 'Baby Spice', by the way, on the right, next
to one of the 5 from Friday morning), and then cuddled up for a sleep
under one of the chairs, near the food and drink containers.
I let them stay in the conservatory as the floor is heated and the weather is hot, anyway. It'll give their wooden box a chance to dry out.
I keep thinking how much Helmut would have enjoyed all this. He was so disappointed when my home-made incubator didn't work. I can just imagine his comments if he'd seen this lot!
Thursday, 23rd
I moved them into the conservatory this morning so they can have a run around. I do love the sound of pitter, pitter, patter, slap, slap, slap of little webbed feet on the stone floor. Yesterday afternoon I was in stitches. I had left the door to the conservatory open to get a breeze in there. The ducklings had had their 2 "swims" in the roasting tin when the phone went. While chatting to Annie I suddenly saw the whole bunch of them, twittering away, advance en masse through the two doors, across the kitchen, and through to me in the hall gathering around my feet. I had a job to stop laughing and gather them up quickly before they did their business all over the carpet .....
Friday, 24th
Just as everything was going so well we lost Gertie. In the garden this afternoon I heard lots of quacking from the duck pond. When I went to investigate only Fanny was there, complaining in the way she and Gertie did after Valentino was taken.
I can only assume that the fox came and took Gertie while the two of them were having their afternoon snooze by the pond. I had seen them both a little while earlier from the upstairs window.
We shan't dare let the ducklings out.
Monday, 27th
I've been feeling very depressed. My beautiful runner ducks. I remember how delighted I was at the beginning of January to see how shiny, sleek and well they were looking, and now all three of them have been fed to the foxes.
I don't blame the foxes, of course I don't, they only do what comes natural to them. I blame the people who protect them overmuch. The advice I've had from the Fox Project - laying scents along our boundaries, building high fences projecting outwards from a minimum of 6 feet and 2 feet into the ground - is impractical. We cannot fortify our boundary along 3½ acres. We already moved our then two remaining ducks to an enclosure nearer the house which has to be made more secure yet, we dug an extra pond in there, and I've broken my wrist in the effort of getting one of the ducks into safety.
But I'm getting cross. Why should I have to go all this trouble and expense because foxes must be protected. Who protects our ducks and chickens and smaller wildlife around? Why are they not allowed to roam freely like the foxes? The similarity to the human situation strikes me: everything is done to look after the criminal, the victims have to look to themselves. And what could be done? I couldn't kill anything, anyway, but if I did kill a fox, I could have a £5000 fine slapped on me or even go to prison. I feel under siege, like a prisoner.
If the government felt it had to intervene and stop the hunting of foxes they should at least have empowered the pest control of counties to control foxes and keep them away from urban and farming areas. As far as I know foxes have no natural enemy - the wolves have long gone from Britain.
I've written a letter to The Times about this and feel a little better now I've got this off my chest.
Thursday, 30th
On Tuesday afternoon the fibreglass cast came off my left arm. The bone has healed, but the hand and wrist are still puffy and a bit painful. It'll be a little time before it's back to normal.
The ducklings continue to thrive. Yesterday and today I made them a
"swimming pool", and they were brilliant, swimming and diving
and splashing like mad.
They look ever so wet when they're finished, but they have the sense to
stop, dry off, have a snooze (usually 2 or three trying to hog the food
bowl), and then start again.
Some of the growing tailfeathers are visible in this shot: 
