Yesterday was the first day of week 7 for the ducklings, which means they are in their last week in the duck house and run. I normally (in as much as having done so twice) let them into the pond in week 8. Basically I wait for them to be fully feathered, which they aren’t quite yet, but should be in a week.

It’s leafy treat time, with Betty outside the run enjoying one too:

A Rouen eyeing me before hopping in the pool:

You can see the growth of the feathers on the brown Khaki Campbell; it’s fascinating how the feathers grow as white pins then sprout from their tips:

Here, let me zoom in on her so you can see better:

Betty is often fascinated by the ducklings:

Swimming duckling and ducks:

Four Rouens:

Just three pictures of the ducklings today; I’ve been too busy with other stuff to spend much time with them.

They still got their treats, of course:

They also got to experience some very welcome rain this afternoon, which of course doesn’t bother ducks at all:

A focus on food today for the ducklings.

But first, I opened up the duck house and topped up water (the paint tray pool goes in the duck house while it is closed up overnight):

Ducklings and ducks watching each other:

This morning I gave them some leafy treats as usual:

Then after lunch I gave them some partially-frozen peas; ducks love all sorts of green treats:

I also refilled their food jug. They are fed a mix of brewer’s yeast (for niacin), raw rolled oats (to reduce the protein ratio), and non-medicated start & grow feed (until they start laying eggs, then will be switched to layer feed like the chickens):

Adding some oats and yeast to the jug; I add a couple of large scoops of feed, then oats and yeast, then more feed, and so on, to mix them together. This jug normally goes into the top of the feeder tube, though I’m also using it to dispense food into a dish for the older ducks until they can all eat from the duck house again:

Finally, some ducks coming around the side of the duck house to say hi to the ducklings:

The first day back in the duck house and run for the ducklings, with the kiddie pool.

Good morning:

Today I set up the kiddie pool again for them:

Treats to encourage them to investigate it:

I tweaked the steps to be easier on their short legs:

It didn’t take long for them to hop in and start swimming:

Some preferred a more direct serving of treats, though:

Three ducklings swimming, plus ducks in the pond:

Swimming for treats:

Dunking:

Four in the pool:

Shaking her head after getting out:

(Did you see the video of swimming?)

It’s raining a bit today, which is helping to clear out some of the smoke. Depending on how things look in the morning, we’re thinking we’ll probably head home tomorrow. So this might be the last duckling update from the excellent trailer pen that Mom and her partner provided for the ducklings.

The ducklings won’t enjoy the three hour drive home (and neither will my ears, now that some of them are quacking loudly), and they probably won’t like being back in the duck house and run, being a bit smaller than the trailer. But they need a couple more weeks before they’ll be old enough to go in the pond. It’ll be good for the older ducks and the ducklings to get used to each other again through the fence, too, before they merge.

Today, as I have each day, starting the day by adding more water to the kiddie pool, and refilling their food and paint tray pool:

I also added some fresh straw, including some further back, added by sprinkling on top of the wire, which left a few bits as fun things for them to snag:

Treat time:

Treats in the pool:

Only a couple of them wanted to swim while I was there; the others reached for the treats from outside:

She’s happy to swim around, though:

Today I increased the depth of the duckling kiddie pool by another few inches, to the point where they can no longer touch the bottom — so they are actually swimming for the first time.

But first, I refilled their paint tray pool and food:

Deeper water:

Really swimming; they took to it like ducks to water, unsurprisingly (female ducks seem more comfortable in water; previous male ducklings were more hesitant to swim at all, or made a big production of it):

Still enjoying the paint tray pool too:

More swimming:

Leafy treats:

Swimming for treats: