Meet the Peepies

We've had no luck getting adult ducks off CL, or even ducklings at the local feed stores, so when I saw a CL ad for runner ducklings born 5/20, we jumped:

We took six because we won't know if they're boys or girls until they feather out, and we wanted to increase our odds of getting girls who will lay us (and our neighbors) many tasty eggs. The size difference among them is pretty astonishing.

We have their security box, topped with cat-proof hardware cloth, in the dining rincon. It's still too cold for them to be kept outside, even at the tail-end of May. (Thank you, Humboldt!) The eerie red glow is from their heat lamp. Out of frame is the complete mess they made the moment I put them in the box. They accomplished this despite the box being empty of anything other than themselves and their waterer.

This is what the Peepies do when they're upset: huddle in the corner and peep really loudly. As soon as I put the wire top back on, they raced across the box to their refreshed food and water and began splashing about again. (I refill their quart-sized waterer two or three times a day!)