Day 46

We added some rocks around the pond today to prevent them from putting so much mud and mulch into the water. Works like a charm!

Here is a view of the rear of the night pen. We got the old privacy fencing from our neighbor for free because they were throwing it away. We plan to shorten it and build a palisade around the pen which will not only make it more attractive, but also add extra protection from predators.

Here is their night pen from the side view.

Here is their night pen viewed from the front.

Today was a busy day. We repositioned the duck pen behind the garage by leveling off the slope in back. We also acquired some used privacy fencing from our neighbors who were throwing it out that we plan to place around the pen as extra protection from predators and to make it more aesthetically pleasing. We will eventually paint it white to match the house.

The ducks spent more time in the pond today, especially this evening. They are beginning to become more independent and no longer need to follow me everywhere, nor do they quack as much when I go in the house. For one thing, I blocked them from the front porch yesterday because they were pooping all over it and wouldn't leave it when I was in the house. The front porch was their main source of shade, so now they have to go out into the yard and follow the shade around the house as the day progresses. It seemed to work out well, and even when I wasn't working in the yard, they seemed more content to be in the yard.

Day 44

Here are the girls enjoying their new backyard pond!

Its amazing how quickly they can turn 125 gallons into a muddy mess! Next paycheck I'm getting a filter for sure!

We got the girls a plastic pond and installed it today. I planted some flowers beside it, and plan to add some more plants later on. They seem to like it, especially since their feet do not touch the bottom and they can dive quite deeply in it. They are already managing to turn it into a mud hole, so I will definitely need to get a filter next paycheck!

Now that they are outside all the time, they have not been eating as much feed. They did eat more today than yesterday, probably because they ate a lot of worms yesterday that I dug up while digging their pool. I think I will offer them a small meal in the mornings and then wait until evening to feed them again. I stopped giving them grains because it is so warm. I have heard it is too much energy for them in the summer and should only be fed to them when the temperatures go into the 30's. Oatmeal is fine though, so I'll give them that as a treat.

Day 42

Here is the terrible twosome! Are they ready to face their first night outside?
They spent the whole day outside, but wouldn't leave the porch except for brief foraging expeditions.


Today we finished their night pen and set it up. Tonight is their first night in it instead of the house. So far they don't seem to want to lay in the doghouse, but its there if they need it. Should be a low of 53 tonight with some wind from the south, so I put a tarp over their enclosure to block the wind and the light from the street lamp above them. They seem content and quiet.

It is nice having my room back! The smell will take some work to get rid of. I plan to vacuum and scrub with resolve followed by an enzymatic pet odor remover tomorrow, then rent a steam cleaner and go over the whole house. At least they weren't in the house for very long, and weren't really really stinky until the last few weeks, so not likely that the smell permeated the whole house. I'll have some honest friends over when I'm through cleaning to do a smell check just to be sure. I'm very paranoid about such things.

They still didn't seem to want to explore the yard on their own today until the sun went down around 6pm, then they started foraging like mad. I think they like the shade on the porch. Not sure exactly why they cling to it during the day, but I plan to fence them away from it tomorrow until they get used to being in the yard. For one thing, they are pooping up a storm right in front of my door! We will be working in our garden tomorrow, so they should be content with us in the backyard. We will also be putting in a pond for them. We found a great deal on a 125 gallon plastic pond mold at Home Depot. It was a full $10 cheaper than a smaller 91 gallon we had seen at Lowe's. We were thrilled! My husband plans to use it as a rainwater reservoir for our garden, so it will have a dual purpose. I will get a filter for it next paycheck. I can't wait to install it tomorrow! I'm sure they will love it as much as we do.

Day 41

This is the night pen we are building for them. It is 32" high X 32" wide X 8' long. We designed it so the doghouse can fit inside, giving them room to sleep outside or inside as they choose.
This is the finished frame for their night pen. We had to make so many trips to the store for supplies that we wound up just getting the top screened before calling it a day.
This will be the door to the pen; basically one end opens up. Later on we may add a hinged roof to make cleaning easier.
This is their doghouse/night house. They will of course have access to it during the day if they want to lay in it but will be locked in their pen at night. I wanted to use a plastic doghouse because they are easy to clean, insulated and more attractive than anything I would be likely to make. It is a large size and plenty big enough for two ducks.


We got started on the night pen today, as it was not raining so we were able to go get the wood. I don't have a truck, so to haul the wood we had to make two trips and lay the wood through the sunroof in my Buick with the ends resting on the rear dash. I was afraid we were breaking some sort of hauling regulation, so we took the back way home. Then we discovered that the hex netting I had planned to use was not wide enough, so we had to go get some more. Then we needed more nails and a skil saw. All in all we went to Lowe's four times! My husband was so embarrassed he tried to check out at a different location each time. Men can be so funny!

Despite all our setbacks, we had fun making it and laughing at ourselves. I sure hope the girls appreciate it. It is quite sturdy and attractive considering its makers are on the low skill side when it comes to such tasks. I think it will keep them safe at night and that's really what matters.

They were outside today from around 2pm until 8:30pm, and they finally got up the nerve to explore the yard on their own! Up until today, they hovered on the front porch when I was not around. They did that for most of the day today, but when I went to bring them in for the night I didn't see them on the porch as usual. At first I panicked, then I walked out into the yard and there they were, happy as could be! I was overjoyed that they were OK and becoming less dependent on me. We should finish their night pen tomorrow just in time for some warm nights. Hopefully tonight is one of their last in the house!

Day 40

I used an Easter bucket to give them their greens today. I have a larger 8 qt. Fortex rubber bucket I plan to use for their dunking water when they get older, but this one works great for now!

Today was a bit chilly in the morning so I didn't let them outside right away. This seemed to greatly disappoint them, and they threw a fit with their water and barely touched their morning meal. I put their favorite Bob Dylan record on for them and gave them a water bucket with chopped greens in it and they seemed more content. I went to visit my grandmother today and didn't get back until 7:30pm, but my husband let them outside when it warmed up around 2pm and let them stay out until around 6:30pm, so they seem more content this evening. Hopefully they can be out all day tomorrow!

On the way home from my visit, my parents wanted to stop by a park they knew had lovely wildflowers. It has a beautiful trail going all around a small lake, and the surrounding hillsides are covered with wildflowers! While we were enjoying the natural beauty, I heard some urgent quacking coming from the lake, which we were above on a wooded side trail. I looked over the hill and saw a Domestic Mallard female waddling up the hill as fast as she could towards me, quacking all the while. She got to the top of the trail and came towards us in a very familiar way, and I saw that she was missing feathers on both wings and her back. Otherwise she looked healthy and unharmed.

It was evident that she had been abandoned, and was in great distress. I felt so sorry for her, but I couldn't even touch her for fear I would bring some pestilence home to my girls! I posted about her on the Pet Ducks R Us group, so hopefully someone will be able to rescue her. She finally stopped following us after we headed further up the steep hillside, but she continued to quack urgently. It nearly broke my heart to leave her there! How terrible!

Day 38

The girls got to go outside today. It was drizzling, but they seemed happy as could be.
They got some good hours of foraging in today. I delayed their afternoon meal in hopes they would more eagerly eat what they could find.
Here they are in their 3 gallon Fortex water tub. I haven't built them a water shelf yet. Probably will tomorrow!


Today was overcast and rainy, but they seemed to love being outdoors. They stayed close to the front porch, but seemed more adventurous than they have been the past couple of days. I am trying to get them acclimated so they can move outdoors permanently when I get their night pen finished this week. I am on vacation this week, so should be a good time.

Day 35

Ariel is now the more shy of the two.
Juno is such a show off!
They look just like miniature versions of their adult selves now! I can't believe how fast they are still growing.

I was able to pick up their Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance today from the feed store, so they have had only that and chopped greens today. They seem to love the new food and I love it too. It is actually small baked kibbles that reminds me of cat food, but it smells very nice, like sweet grains. I add some water to it and they gobble it down like candy. For smaller ducks, it would probably need to be blended or crushed a bit for them to be able to eat it.

Day 33

A new water arrangement had to be made. Juno has been hogging the water by dipping her whole head into it and shaking all the water out. She was picking on Ariel when she would try to get a drink, and as a result, Ariel was not eating as much feed.
They were very excited about the new water arrangement. Ariel ran in circles of joy!
Ariel got her revenge on Juno for hogging the water by stepping into the new dish!
Clever little girl!

I started using a new water bowl this morning because Juno's head is so large now that both couldn't drink from the old container at the same time and Juno was being a pig and not letting Ariel drink. I am now using a Fortex rubber container that will be their feed dish when they are outside. I read in Storey's guide to raising ducks that these type containers last forever because they do not fracture or crack when frozen as do plastic and other type containers. They are also very flexible and therefore less likely to cause injury, and the rubber has a good gripping surface in case they want to step into it. I will use a 3 gallon version with deeper sides for their water dish when they are grown, so this is a good transition step for them. They were so excited when I put it in that Ariel ran in circles while making delighted squealing sounds. She soon showed Juno that two could play the water hog game by stepping into the dish, thus preventing Juno from hogging the water. Juno is a little too big to get in the dish, so Ariel wins this time. Tiny ducks rule the day!

I went by the feed store that ordered Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance for me today and they said it should arrive with their delivery tomorrow. I am very excited, but I have to work tomorrow so I won't be able to go get it myself. I gave my husband the money and will write down their number and the name of the product on a note for him so he can go get it. He thinks I'm overly obsessed with my ducks. I just want them to have the proper nutrition. If we were eating them, it wouldn't matter, but they are my pets. He likes them too, he just leaves the mess cleaning to me!

Day 32

Here is pretty little Juno. I am confused by her/him. She/he has been making wonk sounds all week, but yesterday I took them outside in the evening and she/he stood up straight and started making a very loud quack-like sound! I am befuddled, so I'm going to still refer to her as a she until I know for sure otherwise.
Here is pretty Ariel after a drink. She is getting real feathers on her head now, but her neck is still fuzzy.
Here they are this morning after their breakfast and room cleaning. They are trying to make their room dirty again as quickly as possible.

Yesterday it got up to 69 degrees, so I let them go outside and forage for about an hour. At first I penned them in like I had before even thought they are now way too big to slip through the fence. I was afraid they might be hard to catch if I gave them the run of the yard. My husband then suggested I barricade them in the front yard so I took their temporary fencing and did just that. It worked out well and allowed me the chance to discover that they follow me everywhere I go. When it came time to take them back inside it was easy because they were right by my feet then whole time they were outside. It made me feel good. :)

Day 29

They sure are getting big! They are not growing as fast as they were when they were younger, but I can still see the difference from morning to evening. They are putting on a lot of feathers, and now their backs, bellies, and tails are feathered, and their heads are quickly getting feathered too. Their long wing feathers are still in their sheaths, but some are starting to come out. They still have some baby fluff though!
Here is a good photo to compare their size to just a few days ago relative to their pool.

I found out today that Juno's wing is normal. If he had angel wing, the feathers would be growing outwards, but they are laying like they are supposed to be. I found out that when the feathers start growing out they get filled with blood and are heavy, so sometimes the wing will droop. I am so relieved!

I don't know what I would do without puppy pads. I got another brand today at K-Mart that cost $10.99 for 50 pads. They are not as thick as the others I was using, but just as big. I don't use them for long enough for it to matter anyway. I have to change them out 3-4 times per day! But it is saving me a ton of time and keeping them much cleaner. I would recommend them to anyone who has to brood their ducklings in the house. I can't wait for them to move outside!

We have had a cold spell come through lately, and more is headed our way next week. After that it is supposed to warm up for a while. That will be perfect timing for my ducks' first week outside in their pen. I will probably build it this weekend so it will be all ready when they are. Since they will have the run of my yard during the day, I just plan to make them a small run big enough for their doghouse to fit in with enough space for them to sleep outside if they want for night use only. I plan to make it about 6 feet long, four feet high and four feet wide. It will have netting on top and bottom as extra protection against flying and digging predators.

Day 27

Juno is plump as ever. Juno is starting to make a loud "Wonk!" sound when distressed which is making me think "She" might be a "He". It almost reminds me of a goose sound. The more his personality comes out the more I think I am right. He seemed pleased when I figured this out and stopped calling him my pretty little girl!

Ariel is still the pretty little princess bird. She makes quack-like sounds along with her peeps, so I'm pretty sure she is a girl.

I had to put some towels around their hex netting because they have been slinging water all over my room, especially Juno. They find it fascinating.

The puppy pads are a lifesaver! My cleanup time has been halved, and it makes much less waste to throw away. My room doesn't smell any better though. I can't wait till they can stay outside all the time. They will be 4 weeks old tomorrow! That means just two more weeks and they should be feathered enough to stay outside all the time unless we have a cold front come in. If that happens, I'll move them into the Garage. If I ever raise ducks again, I will start later in the season so they can move outside earlier. They are getting too big and rowdy too fast!

I took some more poop to work with me today so their vet could do a gram stain. She didn't find anything, but is going to recheck it tomorrow under a more powerful microscope just to be certain. She thinks their loose stool in the morning is due to the fact that they have no food overnight, and drink so heavily when I give it to them before their breakfast in the morning. I will try to give it to them at the same time tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. Like yesterday, their poop appears normal by evening time. Odd.

Juno's wing is still drooping. I think I will take him in to the vet Friday when She is back in. I am concerned about it. I don't think it is injured because he flaps it normally, stretches it etc. just like the other one, he just lets it dangle while he keeps the other tucked neatly. The feather shafts on the lower part are bent slightly outward, which makes me think he can't tuck it like the other. I decided to wait until Friday when he gets his exam before wrapping it. I may be overreacting, or there may be some other problem I'm not even seeing. Best to leave it to the experts.

Day 26

Here is a closeup of Juno's right wing. I have become concerned about it because it droops down while the other wing stays tucked up neatly all the time. I am concerned it may be the beginnings of Angel wing. I plan to tape it up into its proper position tomorrow and leave it taped for 10-14 days. If I do it while she is still growing, it should correct the problem. The other wing seems fine.

Ariel strutting her stuff!

The difference in size between the two is becoming more evident every day. Juno is a Cayuga, a middle weight breed and Ariel is a Mallard, a bantam breed. Juno's adult weight should be 6-7 lbs. while Ariel will be 2-3 lbs.

Juno taking a deep drink. Check out those tail feathers!

Here is Ariel showing off her lovely feathers.

I know it looks like their water is really gross in the photos, but that is because it has their Alfalfa in it, which turns it deep green. I have continued using the puppy pads and the chip & dip server and it is going great. I have started putting the puppy pad on top of the chip server instead of under it. They were still getting things pretty messy the other way.

I was concerned about them yesterday because they had really dark watery stool. I thought it may have been from their foraging Sunday, and it progressively got more and more solid until tonight it looks as awesome as poop can look.

I found out from the people in the Ducks R Us yahoo group that the DuMor feed I've been giving them is deficient and so I have ordered them some Mazuri Waterfowl Maintenance food but it will take a couple of weeks for it to come in. In the mean time I've started giving them some vitamins in their water, and extra niacin too. I also put some brewers dried yeast in their feed mix. It makes me feel bad that I've been giving them a bad food all this time. They seem to have done well on it though. They seem to be developing properly for their age and act happy and content. Now that I know though, I will be sure to never use that food again.

Day 24

I bought them their house Saturday on my lunch break at Lowes. They had the best price of anyone with a similar size house; $62.99 compared to $68.99-$79.99 everywhere else. It came with a door flap, but I doubt I'll be using it. I figured it was about the same as it would cost me to build one from wood, but much easier to clean. We have such mild winters here, they should be fine all year.

Today was warm so I put them in an outdoor pen connected to their house so they could get out of the sun when they wanted. They were scared at first and hid inside, but my husband sat with them in the pen and they soon came out to explore. They had a great deal of fun playing in the dirt and grass. They turned their water dish into a muddy mess!

They got to stay outside from about 1pm to 6pm. I hoped they would sleep well, but they made a terrible mess in their indoor pen when they came back inside and completely saturated their litter. I had to take it outside and hose it out, then give them a bath in the tub.


I went to Wal-mart after getting them settled in to get them some puppy pads. I was hoping that if I put one under their waterer it would catch most of their spillage. We will see! I also got them a chips & dip server to put their dunking bowl in. I put some shavings in the trench where the chips would go and put their dunking container in the salsa area and it works great! They can still get in to drink and dunk but they can't knock it over and the trench catches most of the spill. Victory is mine!

I have been taking their food and waterer away at night since yesterday. I leave them their dunking cup, but that's it. They are hungrier in the morning, but seem to sleep better and make less of a mess. Today they were panting at their usual temperature, so I took their supplemental heat away completely. I really don't think they need it anymore when they are in the house. It stays about 70 degrees in their room all the time, and during the day it can get warmer when the sun comes in through the windows.

Day 22

Here is a closeup of Juno's feathers. You can already see the gorgeous beetle-green!

Here is a close view of Ariel's feathers. You can start to see her beautiful pattern!
They have grown so much in the last two days!


The start of their third week was terrible. Yesterday their feathers seemed to expand overnight and they were cranky. They made such a horrible mess in their pen and on themselves that I had to put them in the bath while I changed the whole thing out and hosed it down outside. My husband said he had to refill their 1-gallon size waterer three times! Most of the water was going into the bedding. They were completely soaked. I woke up this morning expecting the same, but found them sleeping quietly with hardly any mess to clean up.

I took a stool sample to work with me today and their Vet said she didn't see anything when she ran the fecal test. She didn't have enough sample to do a gram stain so I'll bring in a bigger sample next week. They seem fine, I just wanted to make sure everything was o.k.

I went to the Tractor Supply today to get them some more pine bedding while it was still $4.99 per 5 cubic foot bail. I picked up their adult size 5 gallon waterer while I was there. Just two more weeks and they will be moving outside!

Day Twenty

I know they are up to something!

The black night light works wonderfully! I came in this morning to find they had hardly done anything all night, with the water left unspilled, the food only partially eaten, and a lot less poop to clean up! They seemed in good spirits too so I think the sleep did them good. Since my cleanup took less time, I was able to have some pleasant lap time before going off to work. It made for a nice morning.