by Susan | May 21, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
The ducks have provided lots of inspiration for posts lately. Broody ducks, cute ducks, new ducks. No ducks. That’s what I found when I arrived home – no ducks. Nada. After checking with Paul who said, “They were just there a little while ago,”...
by Susan | May 20, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
The baby ducks started out with a basic chick waterer. I wanted to give them a waterer where they could dunk their heads, but keep things as dry as possible. After doing a bit of research, I cut a hole in the side of a gallon milk jug. I guess I should have cut a...
by Susan | May 18, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Hannah named the first ducklings to hatch at Downeast Thunder Farm “Peep” and “Squeak”. Here they are taking their first swim in my bathtub! They are the cutest little...
by Susan | May 12, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Four weeks ago, we tucked twelve duck eggs into an incubator. For 27 days Paul accepted egg duty and faithfully spritzed and turned the eggs multiple times a day. While in Pennsylvania for Mother’s Day weekend with my mom, I received a phone call on Saturday to...
by Susan | Apr 22, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Dilly the Duck resting among the lilies – a picture of Spring.
by Susan | Apr 15, 2013 | Ducks
With a flock of four female ducks, two frisky drakes are a bit too much for them. And particularly for Dilly, our physically challenged duck. We are looking for a new home for Puddles. Puddles is a Pekin drake, almost one-year old. He’s a good duck – very...
by Susan | Mar 28, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Do you have your ducks in a row? I do. Until a few days ago they had never ventured into the drive, choosing to stick the the area right around the pond (still frozen in the background above). Tonight, I looked out the window and saw them hightailing it down the road....
by Susan | Nov 20, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Yesterday morning, Hannah set her alarm for o’dark-thirty. By 6:15 a.m. she was out at the pond chipping away at the ice to make a swimming hole for the ducks. She worked at this for 30 minutes before the school bus arrived. I wonder how much longer this display...
by Susan | Nov 8, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
After yesterday’s rude surprise of a frozen pond, the ducks proceeded with caution on this morning of the first snow. They didn’t race to dive in this morning. Instead, they walked around to the high side of the pond taking stock of things before diving...
by Susan | Nov 7, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Wintry cold set in over the past two days. Yesterday, Paul fired up the outdoor wood boiler for the first time this season – a week later than last year. The wood boiler is not something you crank on just to warm things up. Once it’s running it goes...
by Susan | Sep 27, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Hannah was the first to notice that our baby ducks, now full grown, have developed their curly tail – indisputable evidence that they are males. Of course, the recent morning nookie happening on the pond was a giveaway, too. Here’s Puddles (see the little...
by Susan | Sep 15, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm
Miri and Gilfy are our Buff Orpington and Barred Rock mix chickens, hatched in June. They are now living (temporarily) in a dog crate next to the big girl’s coop where they’ve spent the last few weeks becoming familiar with the Girls, the Banties and the...
by Susan | Aug 19, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm
It’s been a weekend full of puttering – a little weeding, a little landscaping around the pond, a little planting of new lettuce, spinach and kale. A little photography along the way. The Colonel ever watchful over his flock. Quackers checking out the...
by Susan | Aug 16, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Almost. After a dry spell that left even the moss in the woods dried out and crunchy, we have rain. All day rain. Torrential rain. Four inches of rain! The pond rose about 12-inches in less than 9 hours. The new pond is a full as it’s ever been. Here’s the...
by Susan | Jul 29, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
We’re having a much needed rainy day at Downeast Thunder Farm – nice soft steady rain has been falling all day. Perfect Ducky Weather – just right for bringing out the slugs. The ducks spent more time paroling for slugs and bugs than they did...
by Susan | Jul 26, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Two nights after Project Ducky Unification got underway we had a late night disturbance. At 4 a.m. I awoke to the sound of frantic ducks. My first thought was that a predator had made its way into the duck house. A quick poke at Paul and it was clear that he was...
by Susan | Jul 12, 2012 | Ducks
Do you suppose they notice their reflections? Oscar’s double reflection as she chases off the ducklings.
by Susan | Jul 11, 2012 | Ducks
The ducklings have taken up synchronized bobbing, diving for pond goodies!
by Susan | Jul 6, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
It’s been a week since we introduced the ducklings to the pond. Since then the big ducks have learned to tolerate the new ducklings and the babies have learned how to hold their ground. The other night I figured they were doing so well together on the pond that...
by Susan | Jul 2, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm, Turkeys
I spent the most glorious hour this evening sitting at the edge of the duck pond, sun dipping lower in the sky, with a glass of wine and my book. It was like a mini vacation relaxing away from work and the phone, watching the baby ducks negotiate their place among the...
