Here are some photos of our 11 ducklings in their first swim! It was fun - they made the water pretty dirty quite fast. They did a lot of splashing too. They also got quite wet because they are not as good at distributing their feather oil yet, I think.
Can somebody test this link and see if you can see the video I made with my camera?
Edited to remove not so good link
This message was edited Jan 6, 2009 10:26 PM
Here they are in the deeper end of the tub, still splashing about!
Here's one of a duck that went under for a full dive! (far left)
I could not get the movie to play. It was a picture that said (duck movie)
but no play button. They are getting so big!
After the swim, they got blow dried off to ensure they were warm.
Here is one getting its belly dried
Then they are all nice and dry and back in their clean pen
They are getting HUGE!
WOW! The black one seems to be even darker! They are growing so fast.
So you not only have a goat salon, you groom ducks as well!
Maybe this link will work, but the video is too pixelated on this site
http://picasaweb.google.com/PatentGarden/DucklingsMovie#5288385688261792498
Here they are having munchies to get over their traumatic bath experience!
And a bedtime drink!
Good night ducklings!
Oh they are SWEET!!! I just love it! What one does they all do. I thought that was for monkeys. (see and do) LOL Some seem to float better than others! Can you water proof their little bottums? I mean with a natural oil or something? Okay, no one call animal control. I do not have any ducks!
Oh I just love that last pic.. Look at the lil gray one! Looks like the charlie brown happy dance.. LOL So cute!
I played shuffle the chicks all day.. no swimming.. just swimming in chicks! Put some here.. Move those over there.. water.. Oh yeah.. these guyz need a feeder.. Hey.. how did you get out there?
Then I caught 2 Rhode Island Reds in the cat trap.. LOL
OK, I think I have a better version of the video now....
try this link....
http://flickr.com/photos/10178403@N05/3175306921/
How cute! They do seem as though they are sinking in the water rather than floating. Have you noticed if their backside oil glands are producing anything for them to grease themselves?
The photo the duck getting a blow dry in the sink is just too precious.
Thank you for sharing the photos and video. Herd swimming as a prelude to synchronized swimming?
Oh ZZ - too funny - sounds like another day in the hen house!
Garden mermaid - how do I look for the gland and to see if it is producing?
The predominate oil gland is just above their tail. It's like a little bump, It starts producing at 3 or 4 weeks. They stimulate it by rubbing it with their beak. Don't worry it will waterproof them in time. Never try to oil their feathers, I deal with a lot of wild ducks that get into cooking oil. They float pretty dood, but they can't keep warm and will injest the oil trying to clean it off. I wouldn't worry about blow drying them. I just blot babies with a towel and put them back in the dry litter with a light. They dry pretty fast.
AWWW but the pictures of blow drying them are sooo cute! hehehe
I am the one who thought about waterproofing them. Guess not huh?
I did not know it had to do with body temp too! I sure do like looking at the video!!!
Too cute!!!!
Claire, they're wonderful! Are you going to get a duck hat now?
Oh Claire,
They are so adorable. DH just came in the room and said, "don't get any ideas." oh, poo. :-(
A duck hat....oh you are full of good ideas!
Claire I just looked at the video and pictues they are so cute! :]
Dominique
I have purposely avioded this thread because of course it's just A TOTAL DUCKLING HAPPY POOL PARTY!!! Those ducks took to water likes ducks to water. Um, er, huh???? Claire I already have 2 TOTAL FAVS that I have named Blub and Dippy.
I can't believe you avoided my happy pool party thread. I'm so crushed!
Which ones???? Those are awesome names! I need to properly assign them!
I just TOTALLY had to avoid it because I TOTALLY KNEW it would be awesome. No way Duckmama. Are you sure? I think you should choose. Look at your video and see who you would think would be Blub and Dippy. I think you should decide. Ask me if you don't think you see Blub and Dippy. I totally know you will see them.
i'm in LOVE, way to cute!!! what breed r u duckies???
Silkiechick - so far as we can tell, 1 domestic mallard, 2 blue Swedish, and the rest probably Pekins. They came from our local animal shelter, so we don't know where they originated or what their breeds are - that information came from help from those who know a lot more about ducks than I do!
dahlianut those are very cute names :]
Dominique
That is so cute.. can't stop playin it! I love it.. and those names are perfect! I love Dippy..
I'm still havin' trouble figuring out who is Blub and who is Dippy. They all do some dipping if you ask me.
They are too cute!!! This picture made me smile!
Lisa
And Mr Dibbles and Dudley and Doris and Delilah...tooo cute.
Hey, Tay! Thanks -I'm still making diddling noises from that one;-)
Well there you go the whole gaggle is named. Let's all just quack. I'm so into quacking. ^_^
Quack! Quack! love the names!!
