Good going Barb. An adopted duck 'Godmother'. The ducks will nest and raise the little ones in your yard. The pond helps, but the most important thing is providing food and safety. (Not unlike humans). Cracked grain and chicken feed works well for ducks also. Your pond is probably not fertile enough to provide food for the family.
Ducks, geese, and chickens were the main source of protein when I was growing up among the cotton stalks. Mallards are mallards whether domestic or wild. The ones we had were even happy with a little mud hole next to the field. Once a mother duck was killed by a car and we transferred the eggs to a setting hen chicken. When the ducks hatched the hen of course treated them like chicks. The first time the ducklings discovered the mud hole, and of course took to swimming like ducks to water, the hen went berserk trying to save them. Running around the mud hole saving a chick only to have another go in, and then running to save that one only to have the one just saved gleefully dive right back in. It was absolutely hilarious until Mama asked how we thought she would react if we, her "adopted brood", were drowning because she could not swim either. Completely shamed we helped the hen "save" her brood. But it is still a hilariously imprinted memory. Those little ducks eventually grew up eating chicken feed and bugs and being mother hen'ed. The rosters were never worth a damn at crowing in the morning though. Jim Graham, Ventura Village ----- Original Message ----- From: Barbara Lickness <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 8:55 PM Subject: [Mpls] Ducks in my pond > We have a duck couple that has been living on my block > for a few weeks now. At first, they were living in the > plugged sewer at the top of the block. Then, they > moved down to the plugged sewer across the street from > my house. Now, they have discovered the pond in my > back yard. I think it's really cool. > > I just have a few questions I hope someone can help me > with. Will the ducks stay now because they have > discovered my pond? I haven't seen eggs anywhere but > is it possible they layed eggs in my yard somewhere > and are waiting for them to hatch? If they have > babies, will the whole family stay in my yard now? > > Could someone out there that has more experience with > ducks inform me? > > Barb Lickness > from the shores of Lake Whittier > > > > ===== > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, > it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup > http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
