dumb ducks I think not

[foulman007]

making refuge from the snow storm 1-10-11

 

[janastasio]

What a bunch of smarties! I'm surprised they are not out in it tromping around!

 

[easttxchick]

Adorable AND smart!

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

Pretty Pekins! All decked out in their winter camouflage. All I see are eyes, bills and feet. I want one!

 

[foulman007]

They hatched out 12-4-10. Out of the brooder and into the lake at 3 weeks just couldnt keep them in any longer.
once they saw me this morning the followed me around looking for a handout

 

[gofasterstripe]

Aaaah, they are just babies. Probably cold without their adult feathers in yet. They look frozen. I hope you gave then a few BIG scoop of handout

 

[Featherland]

How cute!

 

[foulman007]

Oh yeah I feed them they gobble it up and then go and beg from my wife

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

I don't understand, I get conflicting opinions about ducklings being outside in cold like this if they are under a certain age because of lack of down and fat build up. Mine are 11wks & 9wks old, hatched mid and last week of October and they are yet to go outside full time, and I see these adorable cuties just over 4wks outside in the snow and cold and doing well. I'm from Michigan, so I don't know what the temp difference is from there to here, but I know we haven't had much of a winter, we've had cold and in the single digits and teens but no snow like that, we are below average for snow fall. So, I guess maybe I can assume it's ok to start putting them out in the garage to start building up their down and fat more if ducklins 4wks old like this can survive this kind of weather.

 

[foulman007]

yeah these little guys had enough of there heat lamps at 2 weeks and were headed for the pond it was getting into the low 30's overnight they would waddle up for some grub every morning. I thought they would freeze to and grabbed them up (when i could catch em) and put them back under their lamps by morning they were back i the pond. Their parents stayed in the brooder for a good 5 weeks last feb. and it was not nearly as cold.