Loud and S.t.i.n.k.y!

Our chicks have arrived!

We usually keep them inside for the first couple days to keep as many healthy and alive as possible but then they are quickly relocated to the garage, cause for such tiny little creatures they can create quite a stink.

I posted new chicks last year but the truth is that none of those survived, sad.  We had a combination predator problem and also a failed system of closing the coop up each night.

 Our remaining original hens are VERY old in hen years and will not be egg producers anymore... so these little chicks will hopefully fill our nesting boxes with eggs in a few months.

The chick in the middle of the pic below is a rooster.  Roosters have proven to be quite whimpy here on the farm.  I do love there cockadoodlin' so I still try to get at least one for that novelty.

 The hatchery we order from usually includes a few exotic free chicks with each chick order.  But when I placed the order this time, it just mentioned that we would get a few free ducks.  Ducks?!  Sure enough 5 ducklings arrived and they are darling.  The plan is to just raise them with the chicks and see what happens.  Technical plan, huh?!!

 I actually have a favorite type of duck.  I was going to wait and order some of these ducks when we finally have the pond dug, but we can experiment with these little guys/gals for the time being.  

The type of duck I like are Swedish Ducks, specifically the black and white...

(image from mcmurray hatchery)

I love how they are a tad penguin-ish looking.  Well, when the ducks arrived, I think... or else I am delusional... that these duckling may be Swedish.  Normally where a chick or duckling is yellow will turn to white as they mature and they are definitely black bodied.  Should be fun to see if they are my fave and to see if they stick around.

 Last Sunday I actually snuck 2 of these into church with me.  Our little Nursery kiddos are learning about how each lovely thing on this Earth is a sign that they have a Heavenly Father that loves them and wants them to see and experience these wonderful things.  Or at least this was my 'guise for bringing the ducks so the kids could see them.  Some of the littles wanted to squeeze love on the ducks until their eyes popped out, and a few littles wanted no.thing to do with them.  So funny.  Misty was sure to take the ducks out to a few curious adults in the hallway and foyer.  In the end, I was not scolded for smuggling in the ducks to church... but then again, we have been known to bring a baby goat to the Ward Christmas Party.  Our poor Bishop may have long ago washed his hands of our antics.