Babies have arrived! Pics! And now with video!

[Kaessa]

Day three of the ducks being outside.

I couldn't bribe ANYONE into the duck house tonight. Last night I got three, the night before I got four. Tonight? ZIP.

I had to catch every single duck and put them in their house. In the rain. And mud. I really hope this gets easier.

I did give everyone peas once they were all inside, though. Even though Harley called me really bad words when I caught her.

 

[Julie Birb]

Day three of the ducks being outside.

I couldn't bribe ANYONE into the duck house tonight. Last night I got three, the night before I got four. Tonight? ZIP.

I had to catch every single duck and put them in their house. In the rain. And mud. I really hope this gets easier.

I did give everyone peas once they were all inside, though. Even though Harley called me really bad words when I caught her.

Oh my word, Harley. Not happy with you at all. Does catching them entail chasing them? Not trying to sound dumb here but it seems as though they are fast and zippy. And in the end they just don't wanna be held. After catching every one of those girls, they'd all get a kiss as my reward for chasing them.

 

[Kaessa]

Oh my word, Harley. Not happy with you at all. Does catching them entail chasing them? Not trying to sound dumb here but it seems as though they are fast and zippy. And in the end they just don't wanna be held. After catching every one of those girls, they'd all get a kiss as my reward for chasing them.

No kisses today, they were all muddy and stinky. Abba and I had a long chat as I was taking her to the duck house, though. She wasn't yelling, but she was telling me ALL ABOUT IT.

Yep, you have to chase them. The biggest trick is not chasing them fast, but outwitting them and getting them stuck in a corner. It works better if you do it really slowly. There's a spot between the duck house and the fence where there's plenty of room for a duck, but they can't get out. I wound up pinning Mocha and Harley back there together, and then I got Peek back there when it was her turn. If I'm careful, I can carry two ducks at once if I pick them up one at a time. I grab one, make sure their wings are all folded down, then tuck her under my arm, then reach down and grab the other one. They don't struggle much once you catch them, they just complain.

 

[Smurfbrew]

No kisses today, they were all muddy and stinky. Abba and I had a long chat as I was taking her to the duck house, though. She wasn't yelling, but she was telling me ALL ABOUT IT.

Yep, you have to chase them. The biggest trick is not chasing them fast, but outwitting them and getting them stuck in a corner. It works better if you do it really slowly. There's a spot between the duck house and the fence where there's plenty of room for a duck, but they can't get out. I wound up pinning Mocha and Harley back there together, and then I got Peek back there when it was her turn. If I'm careful, I can carry two ducks at once if I pick them up one at a time. I grab one, make sure their wings are all folded down, then tuck her under my arm, then reach down and grab the other one. They don't struggle much once you catch them, they just complain.

Do you only have one door in your duck house? I'm asking because I've got two, a small one with a ramp for the girls, and another larger one on the other side for me. So when it's time to go in for the night, I tell them "time for bed," show them the bowl of peas, and use my door to put their bedtime snack in the house and then they all file in through their door. Then I just go around and shut their door while they gooble up their snack. Works like a charm, but it took a while for everyone to get the hang of it!

 

[Julie Birb]

No kisses today, they were all muddy and stinky. Abba and I had a long chat as I was taking her to the duck house, though. She wasn't yelling, but she was telling me ALL ABOUT IT.

Yep, you have to chase them. The biggest trick is not chasing them fast, but outwitting them and getting them stuck in a corner. It works better if you do it really slowly. There's a spot between the duck house and the fence where there's plenty of room for a duck, but they can't get out. I wound up pinning Mocha and Harley back there together, and then I got Peek back there when it was her turn. If I'm careful, I can carry two ducks at once if I pick them up one at a time. I grab one, make sure their wings are all folded down, then tuck her under my arm, then reach down and grab the other one. They don't struggle much once you catch them, they just complain.

Haha. That is funny. 2 ducks at once. And the complaining. They are assertive little quackers. If they had it their way, would they stay out all night and just plop down somewhere? I imagine you had to clean up a bit after rounding them up. But to remove the mud, do they immediately bathe?

 

[Kaessa]

Do you only have one door in your duck house? I'm asking because I've got two, a small one with a ramp for the girls, and another larger one on the other side for me. So when it's time to go in for the night, I tell them "time for bed," show them the bowl of peas, and use my door to put their bedtime snack in the house and then they all file in through their door. Then I just go around and shut their door while they gooble up their snack. Works like a charm, but it took a while for everyone to get the hang of it!

I only have one door, and unfortunately, I don't think I can add another. I'll try a variation on this and see if it works.

 

[Kaessa]

Haha. That is funny. 2 ducks at once. And the complaining. They are assertive little quackers. If they had it their way, would they stay out all night and just plop down somewhere? I imagine you had to clean up a bit after rounding them up. But to remove the mud, do they immediately bathe?

They either bathe, or just preen the dried mud out of their feathers. They're always perfectly clean in the morning.

I was only a little bit muddy, but it was a good excuse to get into a hot shower and then into my pajamas for the night.

 

[Smurfbrew]

I only have one door, and unfortunately, I don't think I can add another. I'll try a variation on this and see if it works.

Maybe a trail of peas into the house?

 

[Kaessa]

Maybe a trail of peas into the house?

I tried that, and it worked brilliantly the first night. We lost Abba's interest the second night, and by the third night they were all giving me the ducky side-eye. Maybe it's time to upgrade to mealworms.

 

[Smurfbrew]

I tried that, and it worked brilliantly the first night. We lost Abba's interest the second night, and by the third night they were all giving me the ducky side-eye. Maybe it's time to upgrade to mealworms.

I guess they're too smart for us!