Just Ducky:: A Colloquium

I had no idea so many questions would arise from our Easter purchase!  Thanks for the comments and questions.  Now to answer some of them.

1. NC law requires that ducks and chicks be purchased in quantities no less than 6 to prevent the general public from purchasing only 1 or 2 for Easter presents.  A woman in her 60's recently told me that when she was a child, it was popular to receive baby chicks dyed pink, blue or green for Easter.  I am sure PETA had a fit over that!

2. Some of you asked where we are keeping them.  Well, first let me remind you that I am married to a builder who loves to whip out a good project.  So we went from a galvanized tin tub to this:

This, my friends, is the mac-daddy duck pen.  It is currently in our garage, away from predators, and out of my house.  It measures approx. 2'x6'.  I call it the duck run.  He is talking about creating a door at one end that will open to a kiddy pool.  I'm thinking that I really like parking my car in the garage.  Also, please note in the picture above my contribution:  hand sanitizer.  Two bottles.

Oh my!  Did one of them lay a blue egg?!

3. As far as maintenance, they are very easy.  We have a water dispenser (red and white thingy), a bowl of food (purchased at the local farm store), heat lamp, and fresh shavings.  They love to drink and play in the water.  Yesterday, we filled a large tin tub and let them play in the water and test out their swimming skills.
4. Now to answer the question asked by several friends, "what will you do with them?"

That is the best part.  They are a temporary pet!  After 8 weeks, they are ready to be released into the wild.  We have a pond, so they will have a nice home.  But our care-taking days will be over.  It's kind of like foster care.  The only thing we have to be careful of is our dog.  Once they are in the water, they will be safe.  Our retriever is afraid of water.  Go figure.

We are amazed by this little creation of God.  Since last Friday, they have almost doubled in size.  We have one runt that hates to be held.  Doodle got past his near death experience and now loves to be cuddled.  I guess he figured, if you can't beat em, join em!