The weather was beautiful over the weekend, so we decided to take the ducklings outside for the first time.
Hillary, who we think will become Edmund, was an excited blur most of the time.
Hello, Harriet.
They all seemed to enjoy exploring their new world.
All of the sudden though, unidentified creatures appeared from nowhere.
Hazel (who we think will become Jake): Nobody move!
Edmund: If we don’t move, they won’t see us.
Fergus: Umm, mom? What are those?
Nigel: They sure are funny looking things.
Augusta (who we think will become Augustus, or Gus for short): Who are you calling funny looking, mister?
Hello, Beatrice.
Beatrice: Holy cow, there’s another one coming!
Me: That’s Patrick. You’re going to love Patrick.
I wish I could have known what everyone was thinking.
Bernard: Mamma, why are they making those funny peeping sounds?
Me: They’re ducklings, boys. It looks like we’re going to have three girls (Beatrice, Harriet and Isabelle) and three boys (Edmund, Gus and Jake).
Me: I hope you all are going to get along just fine.
Me: Let’s get your first outside group photo.
From left to right: Edmund, Harriet, Gus, Isabelle, Beatrice and Jake.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
May 11, 2011 at 4:47 am
Wether girl or boy, your ducklings are so pretty and I like to see the photos how they interact with the donkeys!
The pictures are perfectly wonderful! I love the one before last with Gus (am I right?)looking so snoopy into the camera.
May 11, 2011 at 5:59 am
Pia,
Yes, that’s Gus!
May 11, 2011 at 4:48 am
Those little babies are growing FAST!
May 11, 2011 at 5:59 am
June,
I swear I think I can see them growing most of the time!
May 11, 2011 at 4:59 am
Bernard, they’re Easter Peeps! (But no nibbling, now…)
Justina, how can you tell the “girls” are really boys?
May 11, 2011 at 5:56 am
C,
The boys are now literally twice the size of the girls.
May 11, 2011 at 6:26 am
I can’t believe how quickly they’re growing up! It seems like just last week we were introduced to them. What kind of ducks are they? They are really pretty.
May 11, 2011 at 6:43 am
Michelle,
That’s a whole other story… we are fairly certain they are Muscovies. This should be very interesting.
May 11, 2011 at 6:32 am
They have such a variety of lovely colors and markings–quite the handsome bunch!
May 11, 2011 at 6:45 am
clairz,
It’s so nice being able to tell who’s who!
May 11, 2011 at 6:43 am
Ok – I missed how you came to be Mom to these wonderful little ducklings, but I am thoroughly enjoying watching their progress…Great photo’s.
May 11, 2011 at 6:51 am
Nancy,
Thank you. They’re so much fun to watch. Mezmerizing and therapeutic are two words that come to mind to describe how we feel watching them.
May 11, 2011 at 6:45 am
Also love the look you captured with Gus in the second to the last picture.
May 11, 2011 at 6:49 am
Cathie,
Gus is actually emerging as the friendliest of the bunch, right along with Isabelle.
May 11, 2011 at 6:51 am
Wow, this is such fun to watch! And all my gender and variety questions are already answered here in the comments. Muscovies! I grew up with friends who had Muscovies. I don’t remember seeing babies but there must have been lots because there were plenty of adults. This will be SOME transition in appearance if they are Muscovies. And you’ll really have to watch your step when they are big!
May 11, 2011 at 6:54 am
Anne,
We are prepared and ready for some major transitions as they grow into adults!
I was shocked when I saw the pictures in our research. They’re gonna be big ones! 
May 11, 2011 at 7:02 am
Your front yard is such a perfect place for them – all that camera-loving open shade and green grass for you to crawl around in taking pictures. Best of all, the flock is sure to keep it bug-free for you!
May 11, 2011 at 7:09 am
Carson,
I’m so happy that they LOVE to eat bugs! You had an AMAZING sunset last night. Whoa.
May 11, 2011 at 7:02 am
Adorable. I’ve had my daily intake of cuteness. Thanks for sharing.
May 11, 2011 at 7:08 am
Lynda,
You’re welcome!
May 11, 2011 at 7:05 am
It’s unfair how impossibly cute your babies are. I might need to come snuggle them.
May 11, 2011 at 7:08 am
CeeCee,
You’re welcome anytime.
May 11, 2011 at 7:29 am
Oh my goodness, they are cute!!
May 11, 2011 at 7:49 am
It’s easy to tell grownup boy ducks from girls. Boys have some curly tail feathers. And, at least in Pekins, only the girls quack. The boys keep on peepin’………
Love the shots with the big boys and the new kids. Cuteness, large and small……………
May 11, 2011 at 8:11 am
Your babies are growing up so fast! ack! I love the expressions on the donkey boys faces as they ponder what these new little creatures are.
May 11, 2011 at 8:16 am
I love the variation in color and your photos have captured them in such interesting poses. I bet they loved being outside.
The male domestic white duck, and Mallards, I think, have a curled tail feather – females don’t. If your ducklings are Muscovies, I’m not seeing that on pictures – is there some other way to tell?
May 12, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Cyndi,
Our book (Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks) says this about Muscovies:
The size differential between the sexes is remarkable. At hatching, Muscovy ducklings are the same size. By three weeks of age, females weigh approximately 65 percent as much as the males, at twelve weeks 55 percent, and at twenty-six weeks 45 to 50 percent.
May 12, 2011 at 10:22 pm
p.s. I wasn’t sure if you were asking how we can tell they’re Muscovies. If that’s what you were asking, the same book says:
Muscovy ducklings can be identified from other breeds by their medium-size bill with a particularly large bean on the tip, flattened bodies, distinctive trilling vocalization, larger and stiffer tails, and needle-sharp claws.
That definitely describes our clan.
May 11, 2011 at 8:17 am
They are cute ducks. We’re doing a quick NM trip soon. We’ll wave towards you and think of you and yours as we zip by.
May 12, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Denny,
We’ll wave back! Have a good trip.
May 16, 2011 at 5:46 pm
It was a GREAT trip! We waved and felt your wave back. Fun stuff.
May 17, 2011 at 6:57 am
Denny,
Awesome! Glad you had a great trip.
May 11, 2011 at 8:38 am
Harriet must have a little bit of “runner duck” in her.
What great photos. I can’t believe how quickly they are growing!!
I can’t wait to meet them in NINE DAYS!
May 11, 2011 at 8:53 am
Overflowing cuteness once again at Morning Bray!
May 11, 2011 at 9:08 am
Oh man. Sometimes I think you lead a charmed life. *smile*
At the risk of appearing like a true city girl….how can you tell the sex of these little critters? Are the boy ducks getting deeper voices?
I love your updates.
xoxo
May 12, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Carolynn,
The difference in size between the boys and girls.
May 12, 2011 at 10:18 pm
p.s. You don’t appear like a true city girl.
May 11, 2011 at 9:37 am
Great photos!
All them, Edmund, Harriet, Gus, Isabelle, Beatrice and Jake looks adorable!
May 11, 2011 at 11:04 am
I am simply smitten with the little gang o’ducklings. They are lovely! And hilarious! Such sweet looks on their faces…I love when they tilt their heads to one side so inquisitively! And I, too, wish we could hear what they all were thinking!
Wonderful wonderful pictures!
xoxo
May 11, 2011 at 11:59 am
When the ducklings grow up enough to live outside do you have a pond or will they still use a wading pool? You might enjoy the book, “Enslaved by Ducks” by Bob Tarte.
May 12, 2011 at 10:27 pm
ms martyr,
Thanks for the tip on the book!
We don’t currently have a pond, but are considering it… knowing that it’ll be a lot of work to keep up.
We’ll see…
May 11, 2011 at 12:22 pm
They are absolutely drop dead gorgeous! The ducks of course! And the donkeys, of course. I would love to know what the little ones thought of the big boys:)
May 11, 2011 at 1:25 pm
LOVE the pics of the boys getting their first looks at their new feathered friends (and vice-versa)! I agree, Justina, I am dying to know what everyone was thinking!!
Just went on avianweb.com to check out Muscovy duck – they are gonna get B I G !!! I hope they eat ALL the mosquitos and flies they see :p
May 11, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I hope they are Muscovies because they are totally awesome! They don’t even need water and they are amazing fly killers.
They are adorable. The ducklings that I just had hatch out are pure Muscovy and they look like yours so hopefully they are. 
May 11, 2011 at 1:57 pm
That wide-eyed shot of Beatrice made me laugh and laugh.
And, seriously, I truly don’t think there’s anything cuter than a duckling. Your babies are just absolutely beautiful, Justina!
May 12, 2011 at 5:45 am
I am bursting over here!! SOOOOOOO CUTE – especially the shots with the boys and the babies! My heart just melted a little
May 12, 2011 at 8:09 am
Goodness, they grow quite a bit and fast since I left nearly couple weeks ago. Muscovies? Will do my researching on line to learn more… Beautiful colorful ducklings!
May 18, 2011 at 4:28 am
Best duck names ever. Here’s your duck poem:
Little duckies, we started all she-s
Now we’re a growing and half ‘o us are he-s
Taking a walk in the yard with mom we spot some tree-s
But dad says no, those are donkey-s!
May 18, 2011 at 5:58 am
Winter,
You are the absolute best. We love you! xoxo