When giving the ducklings their kale treats this morning, instead of ripping it into small pieces and tossing it to them as I usually do, I just held some and let them pull off bits.
Ducks
More ducklings day 22 (start of week 4)
Today is the start of the ducklings’ fourth week, which is when they get to go out into the run (which I did a day early), and can have a bit deeper water in the pool, though still only the shallow paint tray one. Next week they’ll get the kiddie pool.
They seem comfortable with the run now. They headed out even before I finished opening the doors. They’re definitely less skittish than the previous ducklings; they don’t scamper when I open the run gate and crouch down right next to them. Which is nice, though not a great survival instinct; hopefully they’ll be more cautious with raccoons that approach them in the future.
Tasty mud:
A duckling, plus several ducks visiting outside the run:
Hey Betty:
Leafy treats:
If you look closely, you may notice the start of some feathers on the Rouen:
Flapping wings:
More ducklings day 21
An exciting day for the ducklings: this morning I reassembled the duckling run, and let them out of the duck house for the first time. It was also the first time they and the older ducks have seen each other.
The day started like every other, with fresh straw and (after this) treats:
They’re tall enough to peek over the edge of the doors now, so may have spotted the older ducks from a distance:
Here’s what the gate panels looked like before I rearranged them; they were basically just acting as a morning shade for the ducks (but there are plenty of other shade options):
From the other side:
And rearranged into a fenced duckling run:
Last time I had the roof panel resting across the whole space, which was annoying, since I had to slide it off to access the duck house. So this time I attached it at an angle, so I can access it more easily:
This makes it a bit less secure from wildlife, but the ducklings will be secure in the house at night, so the main risk during the day are birds of prey, and hopefully that won’t be too much of a risk. I am thinking about adding T-posts to the panels (for more height) and attaching bird netting, to make it more secure, though I’m not sure if that’s worthwhile.
Ducklings leaving their house for the first time:
They had fun drinking the muddy water in the drain channel:
The ducks came over to investigate, and they saw each other for the first time:
Getting a bit muddy:
Having fun splashing in the paint tray pool, while Betty watches and quacks at them (did you see the video?):
Return of the ducklings run
Today I reassembled the fenced run for the latest ducklings. I got a bunch of pictures that will be in today’s ducklings blog post. Here are two clips: playing in the mud, while Betty quacks at them, plus using the paint tray pool.
More ducklings day 20
Some duckling closeups today.
I plan to reassemble the duckling run and let them out into it in the next day or two. It’s going to be hot later in the week, so that’ll be good timing.
Everyone arrayed watching me:
Look at my cute little wings!
Waiting for their treats:
The Blue Swedish sitting in the corner:
Rouen closeup:
When visiting after lunch to open the vent, I found a Rouen in her favorite spot:
Peeking from the cupboard into the nesting box:
Aerial photos in August
I flew my drone over the homestead yesterday. Interesting to compare to when I did so in June and back in April and March.
Let’s begin with an angled aerial shot of the apple trees in the field, the flowerbeds, pond, back lawn, and veggie garden:
The reverse angle, with the shop, hoop house, veggie garden, back lawn, pond, and flowerbeds:
Closer to the pond, with the ducks visible; they weren’t sure what to make of the strange noisy bird hovering and flying nearby:
Another angle of the pond and ducks:
And another:
GIF of flying upwards from the pond:
One more from lower down; I think this is the first time I’ve hovered over the pond:
The flowerbeds and white gazebo:
Beehives, greenhouse, veggie garden, chicken coops, hoop house, back of shop:
Veggie garden:
Hops taking over the top of the berry cage:
The berry cage and weather wind speed and direction sensors:
Mount Hood is looking a lot less snowy at this time of year:
Zoomed in on Mount Hood:
More ducklings day 19
Sunday duckling day… who am I kidding, every day is duckling day.
Or night; here are sleeping ducklings:
Two Rouens on the EcoGlow; they really like that spot. I was amused by one having a leg stretched out behind her:
Ducklings waiting for treats:
Yay treat time:
It’s nice to see their waterproofing efforts paying off, with water droplets on their backs (though the duckling fluff isn’t as waterproof as their eventual feathers):
More ducklings day 18
It’s duckling time!
Two Rouens on the EcoGlow:
Ducklings with leafy treats:
Standing back a bit, you can see ducklings in the duck house, and ducks diving in the pond:
Bonus shot of duck butts:
More ducklings day 17
We had Flock Friday this morning; now it’s time to check on the newest additions, the ducklings.
It’s hard to find a non-blurry picture from the morning, so let’s lean into the motion with a GIF:
Here are a couple decent shots:
Spotted on the cam around lunchtime:
Less movement after lunch, when I went out to open the vent:
Flock Friday for August 28
Welcome to another Flock Friday!
Let’s begin with an animated GIF of ducks and fish at night:
Ducks on the pond bank from different angles:
Some ducks headed up the ramp to the duck house, even though the pop door is closed:
You can just make them out from the other cam too:
Ducks on the pond:
Night ducks:
Chickens waiting for treats:
Chickens with treats:
Finally, the ducks on the opposite side of the duck house from normal:
