RIP Little Duckling

It is a sad fact that is well known by any livestock owner: If you have livestock you also have dead stock.  Here at Eco-Gites of Lenault that was the case this week. Sadly, I found one of the ducklings, who hatched last week, dead when I went to shut them in a few evenings ago.  It was just outside the door and looked for all the world as if it was simply asleep rather than dead.  My suspicion is that it didn't follow it's 2 Mums into the shelter and as the warm day turned to cool evening it got hypothermia.  Young chicks and ducklings need heat for the first few weeks of their life, either from warm sunshine, a heat lamp or their mother (adoptive or otherwise) and without this they can quickly die.

I can however assure you that the other duckling is doing just fine.  It now has only one Mum, Baptista, as I thought 2 Mums for one duckling really was a touch excessive so put Bianca back with the chickens!  Baptista is very protective of her charge and trying to get a decent shot is nigh on impossible so you'll have to make do with these:
 

Errmmm - no pictures please

I'll lead the way Mum

OK Mum - you lead the way and I'll follow

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