# Almost Compost



## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

So my ducks had laid some eggs in the yard and I hadn't found them right away so by the time I did find them I figured they were too old to eat and I hadn't seen anyone sitting on them so I tossed them onto the compost heap figuring a **** or crow would eat them. So last night I went to clean the duck pen and I was tossing used bedding onto the compost and I hear this peeping noise coming from the compost pile. So I go poking through it and I find this egg with a beak sticking out of it and peeping loudly. So I took the little guy in the egg in the house and fired up the incubator and popped him in. Later that evening he hatched out, this tiny little duckling all wrinkled up and wobbly. He wasn't holding his head up much and I thought for sure he wouldn't make it through the night but I'll be darned if he didn't pull through and his feet which were kind of twisted all straightened out and he's running around like a little speed demon. 










So guess I have a baby duck to be mama too.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I think that's what you should call this little guy...Almost! You'll never forget how this one came to be. I'm so glad you heard the peeping. Great Save!


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

In a compost pile!!! Good Heavens!!! What a lucky little guy.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Oh My! What an adorable little fuzz bucket! I'm so glad it was "almost"! Great save!

Years ago I had an egg distributor call me about a whole bunch of Pekin ducklings that surprised the heck out of them. Apparently there were a couple of crates of duck eggs that got left just sitting out in the sun on the loading dock for who knows how long .. voila .. bunches of ducklings .. 

http://www.rims.net/pekbaby.htm

Terry


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

OH Brother......THAT is a mess of ducklings!!


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## Noisy_minor (Jun 20, 2008)

lucky little fella did you check the other eggs? hes a cute little one.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

You should call him Compost.  Absolutely adorable. What a lucky save. I figure you already checked the other eggs too.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

maryjane said:


> You should call him Compost.  Absolutely adorable. What a lucky save. I figure you already checked the other eggs too.


LOL...I like that too!


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

maryjane said:


> You should call him Compost.  Absolutely adorable. What a lucky save. I figure you already checked the other eggs too.


I agree...cute name.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

What a wonderful story. I guess the heat from the compost pile provided the perfect environment for this baby to hatch. 

How about "Magic" for a name because it was truly magical that he hatched.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

That is amazing. Apparently duck eggs are an easy hatch.


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

He's doing quite well but lonely all by himself. He wants to be with me all the time but I can't leave him out of the incubator for very long or he gets chilled.


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

He wouldn't get chilled if he had a 98.6F heater to snuggle up toall the time. hint-hint


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

That is just a super adorable little duckling! What breed of duck is that little one?

Terry


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Now that's just cuteness overload! What an adorable little guy/girl  Sooooo glad you were able to save him/her. For what it's worth - I love the name Compost too (great suggestion MJ)... s/he'll never forget his "roots" that way


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

He's a Cayuga duck. 

I have a heater but he wasn't using it and I had a light too but he wouldn't get under it and I would find him in the corners shivering so I just left him in the incubator where I know he's warm. I think in a couple of days he will be ok to try a heater again. I'm just worried when I'm at work he will get chilled and die since he's so little.


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

Thought I would update you and let you know I have one more egg hatching and one that has signs of movement inside but no pipping as of yet.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

LV426 said:


> Thought I would update you and let you know I have one more egg hatching and one that has signs of movement inside but no pipping as of yet.


OH my goodness!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

LV426 said:


> Thought I would update you and let you know I have one more egg hatching and one that has signs of movement inside but no pipping as of yet.


MMMM, sounds like your COMPOST works GREAT as a surrogate "parent!"  Who would have thunk?!

Your little one is just ADORABLE!! Won't be long now, that he/she WILL have company and they can all snuggle together! 

Update pictures eagerly anticipated!

Love, Hugs and Scritches
Shi


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

LV426 said:


> Thought I would update you and let you know I have one more egg hatching and one that has signs of movement inside but no pipping as of yet.


Wow... LV426 .... how many eggs were there all together?? Do you expect more than the next two???


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

sad to say the second little duckling didn't make it. When he hatched out his belly never closed and he just died on me a few hours later. 

There is one egg left that I know for sure is alive. This one has broken the shell all around one end but the inside membrane is still intact and I can see blood vessels running through it. It hasn't pulled the blood back into the yolk yet. I'm hoping this one doesn't end up like the other one and hatch too soon. I've turned out the light in the incubator to try and keep it quiet and just left the heater portion on. I'm worried about it struggling and tearing the membrane and the blood vessels and bleeding out. There are already little droplets of blood around the edges of the shell where it popped out. 

There were 12 eggs total that I had tossed out.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I would be on needles and pins.
I'm so sorry about the little guy that didn't survive.


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

Well the little one is still in the egg or at least half. It's really weird because half of the egg shell is broken off and in little pieces but the inner membrane is still intact around the duckling. I did see that the blood vessels seem to be withdrawing the blood back into the chick this morning. I am however concerned because the membrane seems to be drying out and sticking to the duckling. How long do I need to wait before I need to panic. I don't want this little one to die.


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

What an adorable and lucky little being!


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

Well duckling number 2 hatched but one of his feet is damaged. The middle and outer toe are kinked up in the middle and the foot rolls to one side when he tries to stand and is all drawn up. I've placed a cardboard stabilizer to spread out his toes and try to get them to line up. He can stand now but can't walk well with the cardboard on his foot. It may take him some time to get used to having it on. I'm hoping it will help straighten the foot enough for him to walk on.


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

Well 2 of the three hatched lived and and are fine. The one with the twisted foot had to be fitted with a shoe. The vet and I had a fun time rigging that one together. The xray shows that the ankle bone just didn't form correctly and the joint was frozen at an odd angle. We taped her toes to a credit card for the first three days and that straightened them out and helped get her balance better. Then after that we took some of this putty and mixed it with plaster of paris and made this boot for her that we molded off the good duckling. His foot was in the right position so we used his as a model. Then we glued some velcro straps to this little boot and we placed her foot in it and taped the foot in place and then attached it her leg with the velcro so it would stay aligned. She's worn this for a week now and is now too big for it but it has helped stabilize the joint. It still turns inward but not as badly as before and she's not stepping on her bad foot as much so she can walk fairly well. She can keep up with me when I take them for walks although she does stumble a little in the high grass. Although she won't be running any marathons I think she will be perfectly fine and able to walk on her own.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You are really something...totally in a good way! 
What names have you decided on? Will you keep them?


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

I believe they are both girls so I will be keeping them. I have 3 drakes already so I'm wary of adding another one. They finally just got their pecking order established. I haven't picked out names I just call them both peepers and make peeping noises at them when I want them to come to me. I'm definitely mama duck because anytime something scares them they run up my shoe and hide under my pantlegs.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

LV426 said:


> I believe they are both girls so I will be keeping them. I have 3 drakes already so I'm wary of adding another one. They finally just got their pecking order established. I haven't picked out names I just call them both peepers and make peeping noises at them when I want them to come to me. I'm definitely mama duck because anytime something scares them they run up my shoe and hide under my pantlegs.


That's so cute. This is a story you will be telling and delighting folks for years to come. Me too.


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## LV426 (May 13, 2008)

Oh the neighbors get a kick out of us. I take the peepers for walks in the afternoon to get them some exercise and get the little one's foot in action. So there's me leading and the two little peepers right on my heels and then trailing behind them or flanking them are my three cats. We all walk around the block together.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I would like to see that. Maybe you could have someone make a video for us? Please?


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## kingsley hannah (Jan 9, 2008)

i to would love to see a video of that one thats a real human interest story suprised you havent had a reporter around to do a story for your local paper 
i love reading storys like this one 
keep up the great work

ps i love the name "compost" for #1 how about "credit" for number 2 as she was walking on the credit card :


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## gingerpoo (Jul 31, 2008)

Lucky Ducky!


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## Noisy_minor (Jun 20, 2008)

VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO, WE WANT A VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO, VIDEO, WE WANT A VIDEO....

Im not sure if type chanting is as effective, but you get the idea lol.

Sounds like there pretty cute hope the little ones foot continues to improve.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

What an incredible, heartwarming and loveable story!!

ME TOO (three? four? etc., etc.) for a VIDEO!! 

I agree about the human interest...Newspaper readers and TV watchers would LOVE it!!

Wishing all the best for "credit" ducky! Gee, HOW many duckies have their OWN credit card??!  

Love, Hugs and Scritches to ALL

Shi and the gang


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