I love my grandpa, I really do. But man. I am screaming inside right now.
My grandad was over for a visit earlier this week. He left yesterday. I got home from thanksgiving at my other grandparent's house and found something open on the office desktop. An order confirmation for a variety pack of 10 unsexed ducks and a bag of duck crumble. The order is dated the 22nd and says it'll ship out sometime in the next 7 days from that date. The payment info is all my granddad's, but the shipping info is for my house.
Apparently, no one in my household was told about this either but had heard he thought I might like ducks for Christmas.
I'm going to love them when they get here but right now I am stressing. So I've come here for help.
Clear issues;
It is late November and I live in Maine. There's not a lot, but there is some snow on the ground and it gets cold. 10 birds seem like so few, and these conditions make me fear the worst for the little guys.
I have never owned ducks before. Chickens, plenty. But ducks? I know they're messier than chickens and prone to broken legs. I know they can't swim until they're older and have water-proofing oil on their feathers. I know my store always puts nuts and bolts in the waterers for them, but not actually the reason why.
My post office is terrible and needs to stop. We have had issues with them in the past where they don't call and just put the birds on the truck for delivery. I'm going to call them on Monday to try and convince them not to, but man- they are a disaster to work with.
Other members of my household are going to be in Florida next week. It'll just be me from Sunday to Saturday. This includes the person whose name and phone number will actually going to be on the box.
Lesser issues;
Housing; I'm probably going to bring in my brooder hutch and set them up in there for the first few weeks. Then when they're bigger move them out into the workshop until spring. I have some coops my current birds aren't using, fixing one of those up for them shouldn't be too much of an issue. Just, probably not in the middle of winter.
So these birds are coming. Help me prepare for them?
My grandad was over for a visit earlier this week. He left yesterday. I got home from thanksgiving at my other grandparent's house and found something open on the office desktop. An order confirmation for a variety pack of 10 unsexed ducks and a bag of duck crumble. The order is dated the 22nd and says it'll ship out sometime in the next 7 days from that date. The payment info is all my granddad's, but the shipping info is for my house.
Apparently, no one in my household was told about this either but had heard he thought I might like ducks for Christmas.
I'm going to love them when they get here but right now I am stressing. So I've come here for help.
Clear issues;
It is late November and I live in Maine. There's not a lot, but there is some snow on the ground and it gets cold. 10 birds seem like so few, and these conditions make me fear the worst for the little guys.
I have never owned ducks before. Chickens, plenty. But ducks? I know they're messier than chickens and prone to broken legs. I know they can't swim until they're older and have water-proofing oil on their feathers. I know my store always puts nuts and bolts in the waterers for them, but not actually the reason why.
My post office is terrible and needs to stop. We have had issues with them in the past where they don't call and just put the birds on the truck for delivery. I'm going to call them on Monday to try and convince them not to, but man- they are a disaster to work with.
Other members of my household are going to be in Florida next week. It'll just be me from Sunday to Saturday. This includes the person whose name and phone number will actually going to be on the box.
Lesser issues;
Housing; I'm probably going to bring in my brooder hutch and set them up in there for the first few weeks. Then when they're bigger move them out into the workshop until spring. I have some coops my current birds aren't using, fixing one of those up for them shouldn't be too much of an issue. Just, probably not in the middle of winter.
So these birds are coming. Help me prepare for them?