Thursday, February 17, 2022

Duckling Snuggles


One single duckling hatched in the coop under a poor Harlequin first time mama during the ice storm. I saw it left on the nest and ignored and cold. So I brought it in to warm up and set up the brooder box. Meanwhile my husband and our eldest cat babysat while I put the brooder together.


He was alone for a week before my Muscovy hatched 16 ducklings. All were brought inside without their mother in the second snow storm. In total 13 survived the first 24 hours indoors in the brooder. The others 2 died outside in the coop from the cold. I thought mama duck could keep her 3 remaining ducklings alive outside but she could not, so I brought the last one indoors. And my daily chore is washing out the brooder box while the ducklings swim in the bathtub. I put in clean bedding, food and water and cedar shavings. And watch them grow up. They have to stay inside until it stays above 50 degrees in the coop.




 

Death comes to a small town


Our tiny town of 500 people has been hosting death since Dec of 2021. In Jan of the new year we have lost about 4 people a week thanks to Covid. I knew it would happen after the holidays and people traveling again. And it is not just old ones but babies, children and mid life ages. They say it is flu, car crash anything but what it really is, Covid. I think we are the only ones who got vaccinated in our town.
Also, many new families have arrived buying up land from out of state. But the 4 a week death average has not slowed down. And the local funeral homes have been very busy.
I think every single family in our town has had a death in the new year.
Also, empty shelves at the local supermarkets is a first for us. It is mostly processed foods that are missing like pizza, frozen foods, prepared meals but also butter, bread, drinks, sandwich meats are all lacking. Animal feed and seed prices have tripled in price this February.

I am looking forward to planting green beans, tomatoes and other veggies in March. Luckily meat prices are locked is as we buy locally raised beef. Will be interesting to see how our country does as the seasons warm up and people get back to travel and living after a pandemic.

 

Puppet Me and duck diapers




Someone made this old woman doll and I think it is me when I get old or if I get old. Going back to nature.

Meanwhile, I had to make some duckling diapers for hatchlings who happened during the ice storm. Thankfully there are a ton of ideas on the web. But practically, I put all 13 in a big tub with a heat lamp. They are indoor ducks until the weather warms above 50's.






Open door sunlight time


Plastic tub time with the TV to learn how to be a duck



 

I See February