Tuesday

I've guesstimated that Katcsa's babies will arrive sometime this week. Perhaps around the 3rd November. I think Speedy starting sitting around the same time as well. And so we sit and wait. I think I'll go and check on them now.....
Just got back and still no babies

Dereks Hangi adventures

Derek came to the hangi last night, and from what I heard was most delicious. I told everyone that he was an active cock who had a good life and was born and raised at Hydrorancho. I'm not sure if people liked their food having a name but hey at least you know he wasn't raised in a cage. Plus it was easy to say "Can you please pass some Derek" or "Do you want any more Dezza?"
That's what you get when you mess with Old Boy.

Hangi

I saw Ralphy's kids for the first time today. We had a massive rain yesterday and today he brought them out to introduce us. They are pretty cute but damn they squawk. No wonder Ralphy is always on the hunt for food.

The boy duck were fighting yesterday. I had to pen Mandy up as he wasn't backing down. Beaker got into it as well, he was a little bloody around his webbing and on the back of his neck.

We're having a hangi today and I've told them they must be on their best behaviour as guests are coming. They seem to be listening as now they are chilling under the mango tree. I tell you I'm the duck whisperer.

I've got a full row of pineapples in our patch at the moment. yum o.

Baby central

Everyone can rest easy tonight Ralphy is ok and he appears to be well. I think I may have been over reacting a tad. Speedy is still sitting on her nest and always fluffs up whenever I walk over to the pen (usually a number of times during the day). I've been going to check more often on Katcsa because I'm excited about her having some babies, even if they are chickens. If she rejects them we want to try and catch her before she kills them. In the event that that happens we'll just give them to Speedy and she can raise them.

So its baby central here at the moment, its a waiting game.

Ralphy's gone AWOL

I returned from Brisbane yesterday and didn't see Ralphy. I haven't seen him today either. When I left on Sunday morning everyone was convinced what I saw wasn't a tick. But where is he? I've heard his kids and even seen Ralphetta. I really hope he's ok and just on holiday. I will try to entice him with my well known bird talk 'g'day mate'.
Speedy and one of the baby girls have been going at it. They fight like roosters do jumping up with their feet. I'll try to get it on film tomorrow morning when no doubt they fight again. The wouldn't land any punches as they'd just end up jumping over each other. It was pretty funny, but I was glad to see the baby girl standing up for herself.

Tick

So now all three ducks are nesting, these two babies don't have any eggs though.

I'm a little concerned about Ralphy at the moment. Yesterday I noticed what appeared to be a small tick just under his beak. As it was dark I didn't want to worry about it until after I received a second opinion. Well I looked at it today and I still think its a tick. I thought about trying to catch him but I'm not sure how its going to go. Surely he'd be able to pick it out?

I was told not to worry and to just let nature take its course. I don't want to let Ralphy die. Here's hoping Ralphetta sees it and picks it off her husband.

Princess Speedy

We told Speedy today that we'd take her eggs if she didn't go and sit on her eggs. I think she heard (and understood) what we were saying as she went and sat on her nest. I don't think Speedy likes being tied down by having to sit on the eggs. She wants to be free to run with the ducks or do whatever she likes. I was told she gets her attitude from her mother. I'm not sure what someone was suggesting then as her mother died when she was very young. They certainly couldn't have been suggesting Speedy gets her attitude from me.