January to February 2024 Duckling Hatch-Along!

[fluffycrow]

The cute ones
Can’t really have ducks here, the chicken coop and run is on the only remotely flat area in our yard besides our deck, hubby would not go for that! Also the reason my coop is only big enough for 4 hens

I deeply admire how despite desperately wanting more birds, you know your limits! Maybe hubby is also in love with ducks, and you can spare the deck

 

[tlcmurphy]

That’s a hard no, he barely tolerates the chickens. I’ve caught him threatening to BBQ them when he’s out there grilling and they insist on sitting under his grill.
Edited to add why he hates it, an entire yard and the doofs sit here…

 

[KathiQuacks]

I’m surprised Laffy is turning darker, I thought (s)he would be light like daddy.

She looks a bit lighter in person, I’d say her plumage is silver + fawn. Her grandma is a Buff Orpington (their ducklings are very yellow), so I’m not too surprised she isn’t white

Are those pictures taken in your shower? That’s brilliant actually, wish I’d thought of that when I had chicks…

Yes, it is! It is soo easy to clean, plus everyone is in love with the shower head

i missed it

Aww, I’m sorry. I’ll have to @ you if I ever do another Hatch-Along

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m sure my chickens wouldn’t have loved the shower head, but still genius!

 

[2ndTink]

That’s a hard no, he barely tolerates the chickens. I’ve caught him threatening to BBQ them when he’s out there grilling and they insist on sitting under his grill.
Edited to add why he hates it, an entire yard and the doofs sit here…

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They pick the darndest places to hang out. My hubby tolerates mine fairly well, he'll grumble about them, but then insist on checking on the chicks to make sure they're all doing good and does their waters in the morning on his days off.

 

[tlcmurphy]

They pick the darndest places to hang out. My hubby tolerates mine fairly well, he'll grumble about them, but then insist on checking on the chicks to make sure they're all doing good and does their waters in the morning on his days off.

You’ve got a good one! I’m having a hard time convincing mine that the one that hasn’t laid since she was 15 months old isn’t a candidate for Oven Stuffer Roaster.

 

[2ndTink]

You’ve got a good one! I’m having a hard time convincing mine that the one that hasn’t laid since she was 15 months old isn’t a candidate for Oven Stuffer Roaster.

Well, about that... mine is saying we must process the ones not laying, but he's been saying this for a year, and there are no hens in the freezer, sooo.....

 

[tlcmurphy]

Well, about that... mine is saying we must process the ones not laying, but he's been saying this for a year, and there are no hens in the freezer, sooo.....

I totally understand that, I can eat the heck out of chickens but am personally not going to eat mine. They’re all 3 years old so they’ll be Yard Art soon and hubby will be far less understanding.

 

[2ndTink]

I totally understand that, I can eat the heck out of chickens but am personally not going to eat mine. They’re all 3 years old so they’ll be Yard Art soon and hubby will be far less understanding.

I'm unsure yet if I can eat mine. I raised cows when I was a teenager, named them, petted them , then ate them... but, I never watched them be butchered, then they were aged for 21 days, and came back packaged. No one around here processes small scale chickens so we'd have to do it ourselves, that really changes things for me

Hubby wants "prettier" chickens, so no more black astraulorps or Rhode Island Reds (although we have a very striking bird of each of those breeds) he wants something that is at least still pretty to look at one they stop laying.

 

[ElfenLied89]

Picture update! (1?)

It’s been a week! I think it’s about time for a picture update on the ducklings

The picture is a bit blurry, but I quite liked Laffy’s slicked-back hairdo!
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@TwoCrows Peach has started getting some gorgeous, brown feathers growing in
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Whereas @ElfenLied89 + @Nero70002 Prickly, @Debbie292d Banana, and @fluffycrow Guava are all looking more silver / black, and have some chocolate feathers coming in!
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A couple more pictures of the “Big 5”
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Here’s @ElfenLied89 + @Antiocheggers Lemon, @Luv Ducks Coconut, @tlcmurphy Coffee, @Sally PB Strawberry, and @2ndTink Peppermint all together, aka the “Little 5”
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I’m in love with the Big’s distinguished appearances, and I can’t wait to see how the Littles will look all grown up!

Maybe I should do one of these every week? We’ll see

Fine. I'll try to get ducks now. Yeesh.