Friday, April 29, 2011

12 Itty Bitty Baby Ducks


Drum roll please....here they are...the 12 newest members of our family! Aren't they so cute. Ducks are so different from chicks. Chicks cower away from the box when we opened it...these guys... you open the box and they all rush over to see you.
Blossom had to be introduced to the new babies. Of course she loves them (to eat I think)!


Have you ever seen anything so darn cute! Seriously, I am just in love!



OK, here is the story. We got the chicks and I was so stressed, studied everything out and was really ready but then they were great! Fairly easy. They knew they were chicks and once we showed them their water they knew what to do. So I was pretty relaxed about the ducks. So I got the pool all ready for them and filled it with wood chips, water and food. We brought them home, put them in the tub and showed them the water and the silly things were just frantic! I don't know how else to say it. They just started chucking in and gobbling the wood chips like food. Immediately this worried me so I started grabbing them out and putting them back in the box. I then ran into the house to read on the Internet what to do for their bedding. Sure enough, it said wood chips are very bad and they will eat them , choke on them and not be able to digest!


Bad new mommy! So we ran to the neighbours to get straw and dumped out all the other bedding. Meanwhile, they had to stay in the box longer under the heat lamp. One little duck really struggled for several hours and we thought for sure it would be dead this morning because it was choking on the wood chips. Couldn't swallow or breath well. We held it forever stroking his neck hoping to help it go down. London suggested we have a family prayer in the coop for him! That must have really helped because he is still with us.


This is the second time around in good bedding now. Sean is dipping their beaks in water. The Internet said to put marbles in the water as they will drown if it is more than 1/4 inch deep. I didn't believe it until I saw them with the other bedding so I put that in now. They really are little babies that don't really know anything.


Awww.... Aren't they so cute! This is little Nash...I think. We bought leg bands in different colors so we can tell who they are. We still haven't put them on yet.




I was shocked that their little feet had nails. I really thought duck feet were just webs. I didn't realize they are just a chicken foot with skin in between!



Love at first sight! For me anyway



I love it when they shake their little tail feathers!



Having a drink! It is so cute when they put their little beaks in the air to gulp it down.










When you talk to them they cock their heads! I love it. If you quack, they all quiet down and listen to you!





I want to bring them into the house so they get to imprint on me more but Sean doesn't like the idea. I am going to bring them in next week and get a picture of them in the tub once they can swim. They would drown right now!

3 comments:

Dot said...

Aren't they the cutest things ever. Thanks for sharing.

Jocelyn said...

So does Nash have a purple or orange band? What cute little ducks! How much fun this must be out at your house. Have fun with them.

mishel said...

Aww they are so cute! I wish I could bring my kids out to see them.