My heart is still racing as I talk about what happened a few minutes ago! I am so upset. Last night we finished building the duck coop. We moved over a little building and fenced it all in. We put in a swimming pool underground. It was amazing to watch them swim yesterday. It could believe how excited they were. They dive bombed into the pool would swim underwater really fast float away...it was so fun and joyful. So we locked them up last night and put them out this morning so I decided to go watch them for a while.
When I went out there was a duck on its side trying to breath...it was Steve Nash the fast big guy. He was kid of floating trying to keep his head out. So I had to try to get through the knot on the gate panicking finally got in ripped him out of the water held him upside down trying to get water out of his lungs. He was still alive struggling kind of so I started doing duck compressions...I guessed on that one! I tried to get water out of his lungs he was still kind of moving....I even opened his mouth and put my whole mouth on and tried to give him air. He didn't make it. I know one day this maybe a little funny but right now I am bawling my head off.
I am not a farm girl...I have never had animals and I feel like a really bad owner as I don't know all the rules. I knew ducks couldn't swim for the first several weeks so I waited they are 5 weeks now and we watched them for a 1/2 hour and they did amazing so I thought they would be fine. I am so sad. I hate to see things die. We bought little black ducks two of them and I found one of them on the bottom of the pool he died too!
I was panicking to get the rest out even though they seemed fine so I ran and got a bucket and started bailing to make it not so deep....when I saw the dead black one I really panicked and started shoeing them back into the house. I had to jump into the pool or they just kept going around in circles. The rest are all put away safe. I need to do more research.
Also we lost our two Guinea hens. They are Adult beautiful birds we bought two of then on Saturday and yesterday morning they broke out with Brigham fast on their heals. This morning I heard on and found him outside our windows in the trees. I can't catch it! I am hoping it will come back when Sean is here so we can try to trap it. They can fly so I don't know what I will do bout that one! Anyway that is all my news way to long for a Facebook comment. what a day!
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6 comments:
oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! You are not a bad animal owner - you are studying up and trying really hard to provide proper homes. So sorry for your rough day.
So sorry to hear your sad news! That is the thing with owning a farm, we have gone through alot of animals, it's sad but way of life, somtimes things just happen! Your not a bad owner, your doing your best, keep your chin up! Things will turn around for you!
I think those little animals have a far better chance with you guys than most farms - it's still sad to lose them. Don't be hard on yourself.
Oh how sad! I feel for all of you. Keep trying. Don't let this stop you from doing what you love and do a great job at!
Tom says To keep them from flying clip their wing feathers. Clip the feathers on wings in half. Don't clip so low you draw blood.Do both wings.
Don't remember us having any ducks drown. It isn't that you are a bad farmer just inexperience and that comes with time. I hated the dying part also. But that is a fact of life. Tom says make sure ducklings have a heat lamp to warm up with after they swim. Mama ducks usually watch their duckling swim but seeing you don't have a mama duck maybe they should wait a bit longer to swim. Wow you had them 5 weeks already. Time sure is going fast.
Next year when you have older ducks and the ducklings hatch Mama will look after them. Same goes for the chickens. You gotta make sure your dog doesn't get a taste of blood or he won't ever leave them alone. Tom says he needs a good beating if he kills a chicken or duck. lol Our German Shepherd killed one of our ducks and someone told Tom to tie the dead duck around Mariahs neck and so Tom did for a hour or so and she never touched another chicken or duck as long as we had her. She learned fast. Sound so cruel but it worked.
There are always mishaps on the farm...experienced or not! Nature weeds out the weak and accidents happen. You are not a bad farmer. We never let our ducks swim until they were practically adults. Sure they enjoy it, but don't need it yet. Just need to stay warm and fed. And I wouldn't name them until you know they're going to be fine. You get more attached and it hurts MORE to lose them when they have a name!!!! Don't give up!!!!
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