Playgroup Ducklings
Our eggs arrive - Monday 13th May 2024
We were all very excited today to take delivery of 5 precious duck eggs. They are all nestled in the incubator and we are expecting hatching to begin around Wednesday. We carefully numbered the eggs so that we can track which egg hatches first, this is great way to help the children recognise numbers as each day throughout the sessions they check in and see if there is any movement or signs of hatching on each egg noting what number it is.
The children have also spent time today thinking of possible names for the Ducklings once they emerge……..I wonder what we will have this year 🦆🐣.
Wednesday 15th May 2024
We are very excited at playgroup as one of the eggs (egg number 2) has piped which means the little duckling is making little cracks in the egg and is beginning the long and tiring process of hatching, it’s really hard work the the duckling and they usually need a good rest once they emerge.
We will keep you posted and let you know of any news.
Thursday 16th May 2024
When we arrived at playgroup this morning We still didn’t have any ducklings however the duckling in egg number 2 was well on its way to hatching. We noticed that 2 other eggs had piped overnight, which means we might be lucky enough to capture a duckling emerging.
At 1:55pm today our first duckling emerged from egg number 2, the children were able to watch it happen and were very excited to welcome the first duckling. The children then set about deciding on a name and I’m pleased to let you know that they have named the first duckling Quack!!!
Friday 17th May 2024
……..And then there were 2 ducklings, overnight another duckling (egg 3) hatched and joined quack. The children were amazed to see another duckling when they arrived at playgroup today. After much thought and discussion duckling number 2 was named Jingle bells…… we have a few children who love Christmas!!
During the day we welcomed another 2 ducklings as egg number 3 hatched, a lovely yellow duckling this time, we already had a name for this duckling and we would like to introduce Leaf to you all!
Leaf was quickly followed by duckling number 4 which was egg number 1, this duckling was in a hurry and turned out to be another yellow duckling. The children decided to call it Bob 🐣 here is Bob and Leaf snuggling up together.
Weekend at Fiona’s house
Because the ducklings are very young they need lots of care and attention so Playgroup staff members take them home for the weekend. This year they stayed at Fiona’s house.
The ducklings grow and change very quickly and over the weekend they showed lots of interest in their water and food and began eating and drinking.
They also enjoyed their first experience of the garden and water. Ducklings do not produce oil to protect their feathers until they are around 4 or 5 weeks, in the wild the mother duck will use oil from her preen gland to protect her feathers and as she sits on the ducklings this oil rubs off onto them. Hatched ducklings don’t have this so when you introduce them to water it must be a warm day and only for a few minutes, we then make sure they are dry and warm. Here are some photos of their weekend.
……..And then there were 5!!!!!
On sunday our fifth and final egg pipped and we were all so excited on Monday morning to see a little beak poking out……..after a long and difficult hatch little Lilly joined us, she is doing well, but due to her late hatch she is much smaller than the other ducklings.
Once she dried off she was able to join the other ducklings in the brooder and even though she was very small she fitted in really well
The Ducklings first Playgroup swim Monday 20th May
The children were all very excited to watch Quack, Jingle bells, Leaf and Bob have their first playgroup swim. The ducklings loved zooming and splashing around in the water.
Little Lilly didn’t swim today as she had only just emerged and needed the warmth of the incubator. Ducklings hatch with the ability to swim and in the wild they often have their first experiences of water and swimming around 10hrs old
On Wednesday Lilly had her first swim
The Ducklings grow really quickly and develop their own personalities, Leaf is very noisy and always calls when he hears the children arrive, always standing at the front of the brooder and fascinated by the camera, Jingle bells is very nosy and into everything, Quack seems to be the leader of the pack and can be a bit bossy, Bob is chilled out and sits watching what’s going on around and little Lilly is really determined and doesn’t let size get in the way of doing anything!
Here are some photos of them all…..can you guess which one is Leaf??
