Maddy Hatcher is a rare bird. She has ruffled the feathers Carmarthenshire County Council by going into labour at one of their day centres.
Staff and visitors to Llanelli Heol Goffa Day Centre thought they had gone quackers when Maddy the mallard appeared and laid six eggs in a land-locked quadrangle.
Manager Terry Howells said: “We thought it was quite strange when Maddy first appeared with two male suitors who were chasing her about the garden.
“We have never seen a duck in there before because. There is no water or pond feature.
Then, within days she was sitting on a nest with six eggs”
The day centre is used by 38 users aged 18 to 60 with learning difficulties. They named their surprised guest Maddy has become centre if their attention.
Mr Howells said they decided to call her Maddy – short for Madeline Hatcher because it seem such a silly place to raise a brood wit no water or means of escape.
“But there again Maddy is not such a daft duck because she is getting all the food she requires and we have even provided a private pool for her to cool off in the recent hot weather. It will also teach her offspring to paddle when they hatch.”
Mr Howells said their had taken advice from the Penclackwydd’s Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Centre manager Nigel Williams she has suggested they put in a pool.
“We have made sure there are standing stones and mean of the little ducks when they hatch getting in and out of the pool.”
Mr Howells said he was also hoping Penclackwydd would help the fledged ducklings relocate six weeks or so after their have hatched.
“The trouble is we are a long way from water on top of a hill.
“There’s the River Lliedi at the bottom of Heol Goffa and Parc Howard in the other direction with a duck pond. But there are a lot of buzy roads in between.”
