Pucklings

What is a "puckling" you ask?  Nora began affectionately referring to our ducklings in this manner when we discovered, much to our chagrin, that ducklings are MUCH messier than chicks.  Chicks politely eat feed from a trough and delicately sip water from their waterer.  Sure you get the occasional plop of poo in the feeder, but for the most part you could drop them down in any 5 star restaurant and they wouldn't embarrass you.  Pucklings -- entirely different story.  Although difficult to tell from the photo, if you look closely above you will see water and feed splashed 1/2 way up the brooder wall, water and shavings all over the plastic tray (the fact that we even NEED a large plastic tray under their waterer is telling) that we placed in our pathetic and useless attempt to cut down on the amount of flooding that occurs from their drinking, as well as their consistently "dirty" water because they bathe their entire bill and face in the water every time they drink or eat. We find ourselves having to clean out wet shavings and the waterer every 1-2 hours.  Who knew ducklings were such high maintenance?!

Oh, and did I mention how quickly they grow?  They have easily doubled in size each week we have had them (2 weeks at this point).  Nora now refers to them as "pucklings, or whatever you are" and fully expects to see their heads poking through the windows of our house in another week or so.  Seriously, it took the chicks 6-7 weeks to get to this size.  I think they're mutants.

But damn their cute