Midwinter's Bath - Way too many pictures, don't click here if you don't want to see ducks.

[QuackSpeak]

For the most part it is one and the same. Look for Kaine to be jailed most of the time from mid-March through September (he gets paroled a lot when we can supervise) - Unless he mellows with age.

I hope he does!

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Well Casey went out with the flock for a couple hours today. She got beat up quite a bit for the first half hour or so by just about everybody, then Kaine had his way and proclaimed her part of the flock. The rest of the time she was out there, she kept picking fights with Roxette. Kaine and Pocahontas kept trying to stop her, but after 5 minutes of peace, Casey would charge Roxette again. Even stranger because Roxette was holding her own and flipped Casey on her back twice and mounted her once, but Casey kept coming back for more. We decided to bring her back in for the night just in case, but I don't think we'll need to jail the boys which is good because the jail still has too much ice and snow for us to set it up all the way. Most of Casey's problem today was Casey. She really didn't want to go back in the house, so hopefully tomorrow she will behave better and leave us confident in letting her spend the night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well Casey went out with the flock for a couple hours today. She got beat up quite a bit for the first half hour or so by just about everybody, then Kaine had his way and proclaimed her part of the flock. The rest of the time she was out there, she kept picking fights with Roxette. Kaine and Pocahontas kept trying to stop her, but after 5 minutes of peace, Casey would charge Roxette again. Even stranger because Roxette was holding her own and flipped Casey on her back twice and mounted her once, but Casey kept coming back for more. We decided to bring her back in for the night just in case, but I don't think we'll need to jail the boys which is good because the jail still has too much ice and snow for us to set it up all the way. Most of Casey's problem today was Casey. She really didn't want to go back in the house, so hopefully tomorrow she will behave better and leave us confident in letting her spend the night.

How funny. Never a dull moment when we have these birds around. lol At least it sounds like she is going to hold her own with the flock .

 

[Julie Birb]

Well Casey went out with the flock for a couple hours today. She got beat up quite a bit for the first half hour or so by just about everybody, then Kaine had his way and proclaimed her part of the flock. The rest of the time she was out there, she kept picking fights with Roxette. Kaine and Pocahontas kept trying to stop her, but after 5 minutes of peace, Casey would charge Roxette again. Even stranger because Roxette was holding her own and flipped Casey on her back twice and mounted her once, but Casey kept coming back for more. We decided to bring her back in for the night just in case, but I don't think we'll need to jail the boys which is good because the jail still has too much ice and snow for us to set it up all the way. Most of Casey's problem today was Casey. She really didn't want to go back in the house, so hopefully tomorrow she will behave better and leave us confident in letting her spend the night.

Casey, you ornery little thing, you.

Given what happened with her today do you think that once she's 100% assimilated back into the fray that she will resume being an alpha bird? Not the leader but the formidable gal she was before?

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Casey, you ornery little thing, you.

Given what happened with her today do you think that once she's 100% assimilated back into the fray that she will resume being an alpha bird? Not the leader but the formidable gal she was before?

Not sure, her leg muscles have probably weakened a bit, but she should get them back in a week or so. She went out Sunday and got in a few more scuffles, but we decided to leave her out. They had a few hours outside the pen too - pics will be coming shortly...

 

[Julie Birb]

It is so interesting how these birds interact. I hope she calms down as she reacquaints herself with the others and doesn't get in so many scuffles.

Ooooh, pictures. I am excited….

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Went out this morning, the ducks were still in the house (except Greta who I expect Kaine probably chased out). There was a little more commotion coming from the house than normal. I took the opportunity to toss a cup full of worms on the ground so Greta could get there first. Wasn't too long before the whole flock came out including Casey. It was barely sun up. Casey was the first to sit on her feet, but the other ducks did too, so though she might be a little colder than the rest of the ducks, she isn't way off base. It should go up by 10F or more in the next 2 hours, plus they will have direct sun to sit in then. She got in a brief fight with Latte, but then they decided they were cold and lay down right next to each other so the fight wasn't too serious.

Yesterday was in the mid 30s, so we let them out and gave them a kiddie pool while we did some chores and kept them supervised. They love to climb to the top of the poop pile which has grown pretty impressive over the winter... I can't wait until spring when we can haul it off

.

Anyway, this was the first day in a long time that it was warm enough for us to hang around and take pictures so we took quite a few. I warned you in the title, baths = pictures

Here is the "embarrassing kid in the bathtub" pic that we can use to blackmail Tevye when he thinks he's too cool.


Here is Entie sporting angel wings while Rhiannon shows off her blue phase. The ominous dark shadows in the back are Telle and Entie. They wanted nothing to do with the poop pile festivities and instead watched back fence TV and snoozed. They will show up in the background of a lot of these pics.


This is a rare photo that catches both Dove, our chocolate runner's, color in her new feathered dark phase (she bleaches fairly quickly) as well as Noir, our black runner's, speculum feathers. Also Rhiannon is showing off her green phase here.


Here's Tevye showing off what a big bird he is (even though he is all skinny + fluff and weighs about the same as Rhiannon.)


Here is Rhiannon with a perfect textbook picture of the structure of a duck's wing. Also Noir has been much more social this year. You can see that from the front, there isn't a whole lot of black left.


Noir is really much more social now.


'Tiquie (Mystique) still tends to hang back when it comes to people.


Kaine is sporting his colors and also a bit of his attitude. I think by the time the snow melts, we will be needing his jail again...


Allie: What you lookin' at?


Casey enjoyed the poop pile too:


Greta's always sweet with us, just not very nice with the flock.


This was a mass migration from the dome (where the worms were) to the pool / kennel (the water sources). It also catches the size of the poop pile compared to the kennel / house. The one set of tracks coming through the snow (instead of up and down the path) are from Allie. The couple big holes along the way are from where the snow didn't support her weight.


One of the reasons Kaine isn't soup... He is pretty spectacular.


Rhiannon in her purple phase. Allie looking coy. Pocahontas showing her snow feathers and Tella and Ettie, still not really into the pile.


Roxette's feathers are still pretty new so they haven't filled out yet.


I know I put up a picture similar to this one already, but darn it, Rhiannon is just that pretty.


No Allie didn't get attacked, she has twin chest holes on either side from her molt. Greta gets the areas under her wing tips on either side of her preen gland (2 weeks ago she looked horrible) A lot going on here: Rhiannon, Latte, Mystique, Allie, Pocahontas and Tella/Ettie in the back.


Here is Entie practicing yoga:


Although she doesn't get the blues and purples like Greta, Pocahontas was in good color yesterday.


False alarm, it's just a raven.


Tella


Ettie


Casey


Latte


Hey look! Here's two more kiddie pools and they're bigger ones.... But the water is hard

Sorry Pocahontas, you may be the Cayuga, but Greta out beetles you every time.


Y'all come back now y'hear...

 

[Julie Birb]

AAAAAaaaaAAAAAAAGH I want.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Great pics!!

 

[BantyChooks]

Noir is really much more social now.

I NEED THAT DUCK. What is she????