Mark Mrozowski

So I had a long post that got deleted because i can’t seem to care enough about my phone to charge it. The duckling had a piece of egg attached. I left it in the coop the first night and went to remove it the next morning when nobody helped this poor creature over night. It was about 55 in the coop and she was completely motionless. While removing her she opened her eye slightly and have the faintest breath, so I put her under a heat lamp as a Hail Mary, and watched what would happen. About 3-5 hour later I heard my first chirp from her. I dropped water from an eye dropped on her beak to try to hydrate her and set up a brooder on pine shavings hoping it would be easier to walk on than straw. Two day of laying in the coop, half the egg attached, i would just drop water in her beak and help get any egg that would break off without causing distress. On day 4 the duckling was finally able to stand and move and it doing good, just alone in a stock tank.
I found the egg about a foot from the nests. I wonder if the egg rolled out of the nest when it was being adjusted by one of the broody birds and possible cracked, which encouraged the duck to come out of its shell (haaaaa). This morning I finally heard a chirp coming from the broody birds and think something hatched last night. I will investigate, but I try to let the birds be birds and give them food, water, and space.
My whole flock is mixed with the brooding birds. When I found the duckling they all examined the critter on the ground but nobody was aggressive toward it, they just looked and walked away. I have a 24 laying hens, 3 bantams, 4 Peking ducks, 1 drake and 2 roosters. Should I be separating the mom/chick pairs or do you think they should continue to be okay? With the better part of a week behind us before a new bird was hatched, should I not bring tweety(black and white cat wanted into the brooder so bad I had to assign a looney toons name) or just leave her alone in the brooder? Or should I put the new chicks into the brooder? I am a strong proponent of letting nature do it’s thing (and have found good luck with this method)?

also, thanks for your replies! I’ll keep posted on this!  

I have a mixed flock and coop with about 24 laying hens (Rhode Island reds and black sexlinks), 2 roosters, 3 silkie bantams, 4 Peking ducks and 1 rapist drake. (Fun fact my barred rock rooster went after the drake when it got a little aggressive with one of the ducks… apparently the rooster doesn’t like the way the drake takes care of business)

Anyways. Last night as I was locking them in I through a mouse was in the coop, turned out to be a fresh hatch duckling. I have 4 girls sitting in eggs (mix of ducks and chickens in each nest). I monitored for a little bit and nobody was being aggressive to the duckling so I left it for nature to do it’s thing. I try to avoid getting between the natural world. This morning I went to the coop me thought the duckling died so I picked it up and as I was examining it noticed a slight sign of life, so I made a little brooder quickly and put it under a heat lamp. It was about 60 in the coop and as the little one warms up, I am seeing more movement. Part of the egg is still attached to the duckling. I haven’t heard a single chirp since I moved it, but it’s moving it’s let’s more and more. I gave it a few drop of water directly onto its beak, and am continuing to monitor. Nobody in the coop seemed to care the little fellow was freezing, but definitely heard an angry duck when she realized who was missing.
Questions to those of you with substantially more knowledge:

1. After hatching, is it common for the little fellas to be a little lethargic? This one has not stood up at all and is just moving their feet and head around a bit. It still has part of the egg on the side it is laying on.
2. With all the animals just ignoring this hatchling, should I consider it may be diseased and abandoned? Or is it just that the Peking ducks are horrible mothers?
3. How long typically from hatching to running around like they do at tractor supply during chick days?
4. Anything I should do to make sure the flock knows this little one is alright? I was going to put a brooder with heat in the coop, but am nervous the adults will try to soak up the heat lamp and run the little one(s) off.
5. Any advice on where to go from here with it? My 5 year old made it clear I have to try to keep this guy alive. And honestly, I want to see it grow up and beat up the drake lol.

Thanks in advance for any comments and thoughts.  

John I think I would like to put down the blocks and form a small foundation. Mobility is not a requirement for me, but I want to open up the sides (kinda like a hatchback) on both sides so I can just do whatever needs to be done from the sides and not have to walk into it. Rebeccas suggestion about putting mulch down is great because I don’t want vegetation I would have to maintain on the ground. I’m hoping to get the first one set, and will most likely set those cinder blocks in a connected square to rest the structure on for the elevation. Originally they had two blocks on 4 corners.
My daughter made it clear to me that a limpy duckling needs to be monitored and kept alive so I am splitting my focus between the two. Don’t wanna upset the 5 year old…
I’ll post more pictures as the project progresses.

Thanks for the quick response Rebecca! I will definitely look into Eliot Coleman, sounds like a fantastic resource.

The manufactured sand is crushed granite so I imagined it would block out anything, but I do like the mulching idea, and can easily make that happen (and happily to not move the sand). Mulch never even crossed my mind and I can mulch the sides as well.

You are correct that the a frames are very low. And I wrote raised beds, but we are on the same page that they would be ground beds that are not elevated. I don’t mind crouching lol. The structure is maybe 4’ tall + any blocks I use to elevate it, so the removable/hinged plastic would allow me to access the plants from the side without crawling around in it. From what you are saying, I think I will opt for something I can remove in sections and adjust for temp and airflow as needed. This will let me leave the frame up over the summer and reinstall when fall comes 2 weeks later (zone 4b, on the border with 4a/3b)

Good morning,

I bought a small farm and moved into the mountains of northern Maine, and since 2019 my biggest feat has been humbling myself by realizing just how ignorant I am of the knowledge it takes to be a true steward to this land! That being said, I have finally set out to tackle reclaiming the two A frame greenhouses I have on the property (neglecting the other things that are falling apart).

The structures were overgrown but I’ve freed them from their confines and want to move them back about 50 feet. Their orientation (ends face north/south) will not change. I need to reapply the plastic sheathing which I located a roll of 4-6 mil plastic I believe was intended for the greenhouses. (Side note the owner passed away well into his 80’s, he certainly did a lot around here when he was here, but the property was neglected during the sale period, but some goodies were mixed in with all the garbage left in the barns)

The original building was set on concrete blocks and elevated and covered, and some 12”x8’ osb was placed upright along the bottom in what I assume was an attempt to block elements from coming in. I have a great view, at the cost of near constant wind. They say people from this town all lean to compensate for the wind pushing on them all day. Anyway… my questions as I undertake this:

1. I want to use the structure to protect more sensitive plants from the drastic temperature swings we have. It is not unusual to be 80 at 6pm and 40 at 3am. Only potted plants or raised beds will be kept under the cover. I have manufactured sand on site left over from installing a well line and plan on spreading about a 1-2” layer over the sod so I don’t have to mow nor worry about unwanted weeds growing inside. In addition I am putting down some fabric cloth to discourage vegetation trying to come up through the sand. Are there any benefits to allowing the grass to grow inside instead? Is there an alternative minimal maintenance floor idea I can use instead?

2.  When I reapply the plastic, do I leave the bottom 10” or so (2 cinder blocks) open as a vent all around? Or should I be pulling the plastic down to the ground? I think I am going to hinge a frame with plastic onto the A so I can potentially prop it open for ventilation. Is having a “window” to open worth the effort and do I need to sheath to the grass?

I’m attaching some photos that show the structure now that it’s been mowed and visible. It’s not large. Perhaps 4x8 each. Any further thoughts on what can be done is appreciated.