Two more ducks

We had a last minute offer to pick up a couple more rescue ducks this week, so we took a box and off we went on an adventure.  We could have got more than just two but our broody hen Cookie is sitting on four of our own duck eggs, due to hatch on the 31st which is less than a week away.  We don't know if they will hatch, but we don't want to be overrun with ducks just in case they do!

However we are very clear with ourselves (and especially the son) that we are eating any boy ducks.  We already have two, and that's too many.  Our older female (her sister died last year) is overmated as it is, and it's not fair on her.  Hence the need for a few more females.  Thankfully the males give up on mating over the winter, so at least she gets a break then.  

Our two new ducks are Cherry Valley ducks (our other female is a Campbell and the males are of unknown heritage:  mutt ducks).  They are very wary of us, just as the to Campbells were when we got them, but it's understandable;  they've been locked up in a barn their whole lives and not been handled at all.  It took several months for the Campbells to get accustomed to us without running away in a panic--the remaining one isn't friendly, but at least she's not particularly scared any more.

The original three are currently free ranging while the two new ones are quarantined in the chicken yard;  the chickens are at the allotment.  I actually am planning on bringing the chickens back home this weekend so we might play musical yards and switch everyone around:  all the ducks in their own yard and the chickens in theirs.  Luckily ducks aren't sharp like chickens so hopefully integration won't be too painful for them.