GOLDEN CASCADE DUCKLINGS @ ONE WEEK

Here’s a shot of the ducklings the day after we got them (above). The ducks are now one week old. All is going well, and the chores have now become habit. In addition to providing food & water, each day I clean out their brooder box. This procedure is a lot like what we did with our first ducks, and we are using the same car-top carrier box as before. There are videos of the 2011 brooder box & cleaning routine HERE.

The little guy front and center in this photo is my favorite, at this point. He (at least I think he’s a he) has managed to escape this box at least two times already! I think I may call him “Houdini”.  We’ve now begun to do a duck count every time we go in to see them.

Based on their beak and foot color, I’m guessing that of the Golden Cascades, we may have 3-4 males and 5-6 females. Two of the White Appleyards are larger than the other two, so I’m thinking the larger ones may be males. Time will tell! They’re awfully cute, and it’s amazing to see how fast they grow. I’ve taken a photo of each one, and will see if their coloring allows me to keep track of them as they grow and feather out.

Meanwhile, we’ve begun to design our new duck house, and have decided where we’ll put it on the property. We will need a secure pen for them, too, and plans are underway to have this all done in about a week. Our 2011 ducks outgrew their brooder box and moved into their house at about two weeks old, so we assume these ducks will be ready to go by that time as well.