Surprise!

I was working in the barn before dinner and thought I was seeing things. I looked down the long, dark corridor and saw a duck, with, what I thought was, little ducks all around her. I blinked a few times and still saw the little ducks. Here was the Swedish duck who had been missing for a few weeks with a clutch of baby duckings! I called Matt over and we both just stood there incredulous at the sight. He ran to get Hannah and Luke, who squealed with delight when they saw the little fluffballs. We thought this duck was eaten by coyotes, or whatever, and was long gone. This lovely girl had lost an eye to an infection, despite our treating it, over the winter. I thought some varmint had got the drop on her with her diminished vision. Not so - she was sitting on eggs somewhere! Who knows how many she might have laid in the nest. I have no idea where it is. Tomorrow, when it's light, I'll take Hannah and Luke on a duck nest hunt around the farm. I'm so worried about my first baby ducklings. I've had many, many families of chicks survive okay, but there is something very special about these baby ducks, hatched by a handicapped mother, out in the wild. I think she brought them in the barn looking for food. Ofcourse I put out feed and corn for her, but she didn't stay to eat for long, and took her brood out into the darkness. I feel compelled to catch them and lock them all up, but I don't think she would like that. We'll see how it goes. What a thrill.