What will mum do when they start swimming?

Posted on July 5, 2007

Charlotte, a broody hen from Stanbridge, is a real quacker!

For the second year running, the surrogate mum has come to the rescue of a feathery friend and successfully hatched four ducklings.

The duckling's mother. Patti, a call duck, was the victim of an attack by a strimmer whilst sitting on her eggs. She had made a nest in the long grass beside the millstream at the Bellows Mill Restaurant in Eaton Bray and as a result of the trauma deserted her eggs. Luckily, broody Charlotte was more than happy to take over the responsibility of incubating them.

When asked whether the ducks were destined for the table, Tom Hodge, the owner of the restaurant said that there was no chance of this happening as Patti and her ducklings were pets and would be kept well away from the kitchen.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 3 July 2007