They're Here!

The last two mornings, I have woken up at 3:30 or 4, thinking about my baby ducks. I think a little bit was worry (what mom doesn't worry?), but most of it was excitement!

When I ordered them, the company told me that they would be delivered Tuesday-Friday of this week. Remembering back to previous duck shipments, I imagined that they would arrive on Wednesday.

I awoke early this morning and eager to meet the little ones! I had already talked with a good friend at school, MJ, the art teacher, about watching my class for the first 30 minutes of school should I be late one day this week. She was on standby. I got ready a little earlier, and quicker this morning, considering my fridge has been out, so I haven't been able to eat breakfast at home.

I got to school at about 6:15, carrying my phone with me where ever I went, expecting at any time a phone call from the local post office, who had told me they would typically sort the mail between 6-7am. Seven rolled around and I become sorely disappointed. About 7:15 as I was speaking with some colleagues about how disappointed I was, my phone rang!

I rushed to the post office, to find some very cheery postal workers who may have waited to call me because they had been enjoying listening to the little peepers! They told me that the little guys had been jamming out with them.

I got home and opened the box, always a scary moment. We have never had any problems, but I just don't want to open it to find any that have not made it. Thankfully, when I took the lid off of the little cardboard box, all the heads tilted up looking at me.

I began taking them out of the box one at a time and introducing them to their new home, a small crate, for now, in my backyard. Since these little guys are brand new to the world, I took each one, spoke to them and then stuck their beaks into the water so that they would know what it was.

I put them all in the cage and then decided I should count, just to make sure that I got all the ones I ordered. Counting baby ducks is sort of like counting elementary kids while they are playing a game in P.E.. I counted 15... strange, I ordered 14. I was positive I miscounted, so I counted them two more times and low and behold, there were 15! For some reason the people packing my box gave me an extra Blue Swedish!

After getting them all set up in their new home, it was time for me to go back to school. I was able to share the pictures and videos with my kids and friends though, and of course thought about my little ones most of the day.

As I type, I am sitting in my backyard with the babies roaming around freely, sometimes stopping to nibble on my toes.

They did not want to get out of their cage when I opened the door, it took some coaxing, but as soon as they got out, they realized that they had found heaven - weeds and bugs everywhere! The peck at everything that looks different (i.e. a freckle, a weed, discoloring in the concrete, water drops, etc.). They also love to follow and chase bugs, although right now, I don't think I would count on them for doing much to my bug population. The weeds that they pecked at for 10 minutes are still complete, not even a piece missing. They just enjoy the pecking process.

I have a little pool for them (a mold for a stepping stone). I did not want to put it in their cage with them because I did not want them to get too wet or too cold, but I have it out now while I am with them. Amazingly enough it took these ducks a while to take to the water like a duck. It started slow, just drinking the water from the side, then one or two found their way in. Before long though, the active little mallards were running right through the water, having a blast.

My backyard is perfect for them, they are free to run, basically everywhere since it is really quite small. The longer they have been out, the more comfortable they have gotten and the less they are moving about as an amoeba. They are still a bit timid, but I can tell that they are getting more used to my presence. I laid down on the grass and stayed quite still. They seemed to forget that I was even there. Some of them even came over and pecked at bugs landing on my legs.

To me, these little guys are almost mesmerizing. I could watch them for hours and still discover something new that they are doing. I feel like the new mom who says something about each little movement and each little sound that her infant child makes.

I can tell some of them apart, but a lot of them sort of came in pairs, so it will take me a while before I can tell them all apart. Plus, I need to get to know them a little bit more before I start giving them names. One of them, the yellow Indian Runner is very bold. She/he seems to be the bravest and the first to do almost anything. The two crested ducks seem to be the laziest, and the mallards, as always, seem to be the most active. It is like a whole classroom of kids, it will take a while to get to know each one of their little special personalities.

Of course, I know what you are all wondering about - Romeo. Well, not that anyone is very surprised, but I don't think he really likes them. To be honest, I believe it is more jealousy than thinking they look like a tasty meal. I let him out here with me for a little while and he did just fine, but the look in his eye told me I could not trust him alone! You know those videos and pictures sent around the internet of different types of animals playing or sleeping together? Well, I don't see that happening here! :)

P.S. - I have already taken lots of pictures, but it takes so long to load them here, I'm not going to do that. You can find the pictures on Facebook or rascats.shutterfly.com. If you are on Facebook, also look for the adorable videos of these little guys!