September07

Friday, 7th - apologies, Richard, I missed putting an entry for your birthday on the 5th, hope you had a happy one!

All 15 are still at liberty to roam freely through all parts of the garden, and the 2 groups still keep separate. In fact the smaller group of 6 are forever scaring the larger one! I find that amazing. They don't fight at all, but I always know when the 6 come near the 9 as the latter chatter in alarm and move off. Maybe it's the hefty Campbell girls that frighten them by sheer size? Here they are moving back "home" again having raided the others' food:

I haven't seen much of the baby waterhens recently, so I hid behind a couple of large shrubs this morning and waited.

Pretty soon I saw one parent and 3 little beaks appear from the nettles behind the E-fence. I took a few shots from a distance, sorry about the fuzziness of the photos, and I'm not quite sure if there were 3 little ones [now a good 6 inches long, I bet] or 4 with the parent. One youngster went off to get some food from the duck trough and then swam back. Here it is clambering up to rejoin the others:

On this pic you can see how big the babies are now compared to the parent on the left.

I spent all morning and part of the afternoon "flattening" one of our flower beds, this one,
in between the fallen ash and the E-fence,

which is now empty apart from this little crab apple:

I put it in as a cutting from the bright red one near the ditch, and as it's doing well I shan't shift it until end October.

I had duck company, of course, and Primmie and Anabelle from 'opposing camps' stayed the longest. Anabelle still seems to think she's top dog - or should I say top bitch, as she tried her best to chase Primmie away
just like she did in the "formal" garden earlier in the year:
:

I got very hot, and when I finished digging and raking [letting the bed revert to grass as it takes less time to cut the grass than to weed the bed!] to go into the cool house I noticed the ducks were avoiding the sun as well:

Monday, 10th September 2007

Very sad news I have to write up today, there's been another duck death. Both John and I had been away from home most of the day on Saturday, and when John went to shut them in at night he found one of the white ducks dead near the entrance to the electrified enclosure. He was amazed to see that her eyes were still open, which was the first time he'd seen that. Have other duck keepers had that experience? We'd like to hear.

I was at Carl's looking after Alfie, and John hardly dare ring me to tell me about it. He said he could see no injury, no sign of what might have caused it, and he thought it was the runner/Campbell mix with the dark grey beak, Candida.

But when I let them out on Sunday morning I could see Candida peering through the air inlet grille while standing on the nesting box as she does every morning, and very big Hedda was certainly there. So it must have been Pinky or Perky that had died so suddenly. Pinky was always the one doing a bit of "backchatting" before going into the hut at night, and as there was this Campbell having a token "go" at me last night I gathered it must have been Perky who died.

In this picture she's the second from left, circled.
Of course we have been wondering what on earth might have happened. The remaining 5 at the duck pond were very subdued and didn't leave their area at all yesterday, and the group at the top of the garden were behaving very strangely, all 9 standing together looking intently towards the duck pond, not moving, just standing there for ages and ages, as if expecting something to happen or remembering something that had - I couldn't tell.

What made me think, too, was the large amount of black feathers I'd seen in the duck pond, making me guess that some big bird had got one of the waterhens and that it maybe scared Perky to death. It's a long shot, I just don't know. When I was digging out daisies etc in that bed I was clearing on Friday I heard those cries the buzzards make, and on looking up saw



3 of these circling up above very high.

Again, I don't know if these birds had
anything to do with what happened.

John also worried whether our snakes could have been involved. Perhaps I should explain. We didn't know we had snakes until very recently when John saw this shed skin by the compost heap near the fallen ash,



and even more recently I saw first a slightly smaller skin and then a third even thinner, in the same place where we'd seen the first. So we have at least 3 grass snakes which we didn't know about. One of the girls who grew up in this house came by the other day and we asked her if she'd ever seen any snakes here. "Oh yes", she said, "they were in the compost heap near the house. I used to scare my sister with them until I had to stop as it gave her asthma attacks!"

Grass snakes, of course, aren't poisonous, but as John had found the dead duck near the area where we.d seen the snakeskins it made him wonder if there had been some involvement from them.

All ducks and drakes seem back to normal today; just 14 now, what a shame.

Tuesday, 11th September 2007

When visiting friends asked me only yesterday whether we'd seen any more of the foxes we said no, only droppings in the garden now and again.

But this very morning, at quarter past 7, the sun was out, a big fox suddenly appeared beside the garage and chased the rabbits I'd been watching into the vegetable garden, then into the orchard and on into the ditch. By that time John had got there and started throwing lumps of soil at it. The fox fled to the back of the duck pond and "no end", John said, of waterhens hurled themselves into the pond for safety!

I delayed letting the ducks out for a bit, but I'm unwilling to keep them locked in - it would be like keeping small children in the house all the time because of the dangers outside.

Talking about dangers outside, I've been following the renewed outbreaks of H5N1 in Germany fairly closely, and have been writing up what I considered to be important for our Indian Runner Duck Association. The most recent outbreaks were in a huge commercial flock not far from Nuremberg where over 160,000 ducklings were killed, and shortly afterwards a further 200,000 plus birds from the same firm at two other locations were "culled".

In case you're interested, this is how I prefaced my write-up for the IRDA:

I am well aware that you, seeing the headline or even reading some of the article, might think "how does this concern me? We live on the island of Great Britain and we won't be affected by things happening on the continent of Europe."But think back to the washed up swan in Scotland, and especially the Bernard Matthews horror - all of a sudden we were affected.

And do not for a minute believe that our Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will act any differently from its German Federal equivalent BMELV and those for the individual countries in Germany if we should be struck by A1 again. Or that our media will print and show a better informed, more balanced view than they have in Germany.
I well remember, with exasperation, the BBC's immediate blaming of wild birds after the Bernard Matthews outbreak, and I'm still horrified when I think back to the scare-mongering Panorama bird flu programme of last year - it gave me nightmares.

Poor wild birds, they always seem to be the first and easiest to blame. Don't get me wrong, I am convinced that wild or migrating birds do play a role in the spreading of the virus; I'm sure they can't help picking it up once it's released. But I'm equally sure that it is the bad, intensive, mass keeping of birds that starts it all off, bad hygiene in those sheds and transporters. And, of course, some laboratories seem unable to keep within their premises the very viruses they are examining. After the recent escape of the foot and mouth virus there was huge interest and sympathy in Germany, praising the fact that fingers were officially pointed at the two laboratories and that the subject was being openly discussed. That was because open discussion and finger pointing were vigorously suppressed by the State after the initial outbreak in Germany in February 2006 of H5N1 of the Quinghai subtype, and the only place that virus had been in the country was at the State-funded FLI [Friedrich Löffler Institute].

The subject of preventive vaccination is being discussed widely in Germany. The Government line is still that an effective marker vaccine is being developed and that it would take years yet for it to become available, despite the fact that one is available for zoos! The example of Holland and France is put forward a lot, and more and more voices in parliament [the Greens and the Free Democratic Party] and a number of environmental and nature organisations are demanding preventive vaccination instead of the inhumane "under cover" housing order for private bird holdings and preventive mass killings of healthy animals.

I believe that people who keep ducks, chickens and other fowl and animals - even in small numbers - are people who are close to the land and care for its welfare. And I also believe that such people also care for those in similar situations in other countries. So if we here in Great Britain voice our support in great numbers [with signature on web sites for instance and writing/mailing where we can], would that not put pressure on the German governments and be for the common good?

I paste here below a link where hundreds, literally, of like-minded people from a number of countries have added their support. Maybe with all this pressure common sense will prevail after all?

www.buendnis-gegen-keulung.de

Saturday, 15th September 2007

Friend Caroline of http://www.carolinecrockeroriginals.co.uk/ sent me some links regarding petitions of all kinds, and, having had a quick read I am having grave doubts now as to wether any petitions, cyber or handwritten, will have the desired effect in the quarters they are directed to. After all thousands and thousands of signatures were collected before in an effort to end the 'housing order' [to keep all domestic birds locked up and under cover] in Germany, and now, in a week's time, the Federal Minister responsible is putting it before the German Parliament to make this order permanent, without any exceptions. This same Minister, by the way, managed to stop the proposed outlawing of keeping laying hens in cages in January this year - it looks as if he's all on the side of the mass production barons.

I'm well aware that thousands and thousands of chickens, turkeys, ducks and other animals will continue to be kept in factory farming around the world until consumers change their habits and buy only free-range - which will be some time yet. But I'm an optimist, and I remind myself that consumers' habits have changed a great deal already in just the last decade or so. Farmers' Markets have sprung up everywhere selling only local produce and are being made good use of. We used to feel sorry for the Third World and throw money at it now and again - now we buy Fair Trade produce. Farmers and gardeners alike were using pesticides and slug pellets until the decline in bird numbers was noticed, now we think and buy organic. We never used to think about the "environment" apart from what was immediately around us, now we sort our rubbish and recycle that we can, try and find sources of energy other than those emitting harmful gases, and so on and so on. There must be other examples I can't think of at present, but I do think it illustrates that changes for the better can be made and have been made.

But to get back to our little troop of ducks.

We've had a busy week as ever, and on Thursday was "Großreinemachetag" = great clean-up day. Both huts needed more than the usual clean-and-refresh-bedding. So, as rain had been predicted for Friday I thought Thursday was my last chance of having the huts dry out all day.

So, while scrubbing away like mad inside the bottom hut with hot water and Dettol first thing in the morning
I suddenly became aware of a commotion outside: yep, the top 9 had arrived to try and re-gain entry into the duck pond. That was the first time I'd seen them down there, although they had been hanging around the fence opening for some days.

I think I did the right thing in just leaving that opening for the two groups to get together again - or not - in their own sweet time, without pressure from me. The resident 5 are not happy about this invasion at all [although they themselves are very happy to go and make free with the top lot's food and water buckets and goodies in the vegetable beds]. They complain and try and drive them out of the pond for a while, but after just a short time they give up as they're outnumbered in fighting troops!

Sunday, 16th September 2007

The predicted rain on Friday did not reach us, so I'm still busy watering hanging baskets, new and moved plantings.

Egg laying has certainly slowed down dramatically, we only get between 1 and 4 a day. But that's fine - the girls have to have a rest!

The top group of 9 are thrilled to pieces to have access to their big pond again and hotfooted it down there immediately on release the last two days. Today they only returned to their own hut at quarter to seven, ¾ hour before current bedtime! They're not entirely at their ease around the duck pond yet. They all - apart from big boy Donald - hopped out as if scalded when I approached ...... "what, us in this pond? No, your eyes must have deceived you. We know we're not allowed. Look, we're just here on land preening our feathers, paying our friends down here a visit" ...... that kind of look I got.

Photos, you ask? Yes, I did get some:

Here are 8 dying to get back in again.

Donald, big boss, didn't bother to get out in the first place.

Although dead keen to get back in again these 8 didn't quite dare for 5 minutes or so - Decibels in the middle here is all spiky-feathered with fright.

But then somebody gives the signal and they're back in.

All 14 were then very busy in the water, still keeping to their own little families, 5 on the right, 9 on the left. At least they're not fighting!

Can you see how the waterhens have ruined my baskets with reeds and rushes? The one in the middle at the back [which contained the most] has nothing showing in it at all now; the ones on the left and right [which had the nest in it] just have a little bit of growth in it.

I do have a fourth basket at the ready now, and that one will have a lid on it!

The waterhens made themselves scarce when this lot was in, but we still see them when the ducks are in the field or when they're shut in mornings and nights.

PS: I forgot to mention: found a fourth snake skin when clearing up the path at the back of John's veg patch near the duck pond. How many more snakes do we have?

Monday, 17th September 2007

No sooner do I write that I've come to realize that petitions have only limited chance of success than I get another cry for help from Germany this morning. I'll try!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Federal Minister Seehofer is trying to make the temporary "under cover" housing order permanent, and if anybody out there reading this wants to add their little bit of support, this is the link for signature, but it must be done by the end of this week, 22.9.2007.

http://www.gegen-stallpflicht.de/fileadmin/win/gs/dateien/Unterschriftenliste_TuMeVcum.pdf

Several organisations for animal (and human!) protection have combined and set out these aims before the table of signatures which are to be sent to the 2 addresses quoted :

Joint Protest against the German Bird Flu Policy

We feel bound to the protection of animals and to the health of humans and animals alike and reject intensive holdings. We protest decisively against the current order of having to keep poultry under cover to fight poultry pest. The dangerous H5N1 virus type is not a problem in free ranging poultry but in systems with intensive mass holdings of large animal stocks. They are endangered by infectious diseases as these sickly bred birds are kept in tight, close-up conditions in dark stifling sheds under permanent stress, in conditions hostile to their breeds.

In the open H5N1 can exists only briefly and is very limited to the locality. The lock-up order makes no sense as it weakens the immune system of the birds.

We demand:

- immediate and instant retraction of the lock-up order, strict controls of intensive holdings, of the international net of trade routes and measures against spreading the virus by the transporting of poultry and ~products, as well as exporting excrement.
- because we see the "culling" of healthy animals as a contradiction to the law for animal protection we demand an end to this method of fighting the pest.
- keeping animals free-range in a manner fitting to their type as well as the preservation and breeding of varied, robust stock which needs support from the State.

"Tier und Mensch e.V." Ernst Ulich, Baseler Str. 24, 12205 Berlin, Germany www.tumev.de

"Arbeitsgemeinschaft für artgerechte Nutztierhaltung e.V." E. Petras, Bramfelder Chaussee 302, 22177 Hamburg, Germany www.tierschutz-landwirtschaft.de

Tuesday, 18th September 2007

We did get some rain Sunday night and a little more yesterday, and this morning we had the first ground frost at the lower end of the garden! Although noticeably more chilly it turned out to be a very pleasant, sunny day, and I did some tidying up in the formal garden while watching what the ducks were up to.

First thing I saw to my surprise was that the "apartheid" seemed to have come to an end; ducks from 'opposing camps' were resting on the edge of the pond,

and then they were in the water together.

The togetherness continued on land, as well. When I went to clean the hut they were all lying down in that opening between the two hedges, but as soon as I fetched the camera they had to get up and spoil the peacefulness of the scene.

I only had 2 glimpses of the waterhens, 1 parent,
1 baby swimming while the ducks were in the water,
but I only caught the parent on camera:

Thursday, 27th September 2007 Sarah was into double figures yesterday - Happy Birthday again!

Just a little PS on the German proposal to make the lock-up order permanent - it won't be put before parliament until 12th October. Two marvellous sites still offer the chance to support if you feel so inclined: www.runnerduck.net and www.warmwell.com .

Our two groups of ducks have been inseparable all week, amazing, isn't it, I just had to leave them to do it in their own time.

I must have upset the top lot this morning however with my 'photographic activities', because, just as they were about to rush off downhill to join their mates they saw me standing in the open gate with the camera [ - a bit fuzzy, this pic, either they were too fast or I shook].

They turned tail and stopped there until late morning.

Mind you, I had already upset them by taken snaps to show how well the grassed/protected pond edges are doing.

I still have more to cover, but I think they look so much better than bare black butyl liner:

You can tell by the plastic green netting showing that they still pull out whatever they can reach, but the greater part stays put - thank you Bluebell Nurseries for giving me that idea!

Maybe you can see by their eyes on the left here that it was still early morning. I had let this lot out first as John - as usual - had put them in first last night.

When they hadn't turned up to join their mates down at the duck pond those 5 went up to investigate. I could hear lots of chattering going on while I was filling the water buckets, and then the 5 came back on their own, Captain and Anabelle on the bottom path and the other 3 via the top.

Here they are a little closer - Anabelle still moulting heavily. We don't get any eggs at the moment, well, maybe 1 every other day. That muddy patch where they are standing was a proper squelchy ducky-mud-puddle until I moved the buckets a bit further away!

But I was going to show you the fourth basket we put in a few days ago. It was full of tall stuff poking out through the holes in the lid and standing up nicely just over a foot out of the water ............................ eeemm, not now:

I do not think our ducks are to blame because it had been tipped over the very next morning after putting it in. I reckon it's the waterhens dive-bombing it from the trees above trying to get into it. If you think I'm making it up I actually got some shots this morning of one just above the pond, and then I saw another in the branches - hard to see but I've put arrows, and a little 'bubble' of the top one when it was sitting on the branch watching me:

Didn't I say some time ago that I suspected them of hanging about in those trees because they ALWAYS knew when I came anywhere near and called their little chicks away into the nettles. Little tykes.