Duckling Diaries (from a newborn photographer)

Day 2

So our new baby ducks had a really good night, (much easier than a newborn baby!) they settled down when it got dark (they had been zooming around their new enclosure before this!) and they seem really happy.

Today brings first cuddles. My first learning was they hate to be separated, even in the same room, it makes them very upset, so cuddles for the time being will be together. Learning 2 – they are incredibly fast runners. Learning 3 – they have little silly moments (just like dogs do) running up and down the cage like lunatics and playing.

They chitter chatter to each other quite a lot when they are running about, but when they are unhappy about something this quiet chatter goes up in volume and becomes a very loud chirp! Last year I rescued a couple of baby birds that had fallen out their nest and into our underground car park, I remember how loud their distress calls were despite their tiny size (I heard them from my open window 2 floors up which is when I went to find them) the ducklings, or any other baby for that matter, are no different. Unhappy = Loud!

Holly, as I suspected, is definitely the more relaxed, she was happy to be picked up, and fell asleep in my hands within a few minutes (she also pooped on me!) Every time I went to pick up my phone to take a picture she woke up and gave me a little peck as if to say cuddles only please. Philip was less happy to be caught and took longer to settle, but he too calmed down, whilst he didn’t snooze he sat happily on my chest for a gentle cuddle and stroke. Jensen is still a little nervous about holding them, he doesn’t want to hurt them, so for now he sits with me and just strokes them.

I read up lots before getting them, everyone warned how messy ducklings are (but I must say I’m pleasantly surprised – those people have obviously not kept guinea pigs before!) I clean their water 3 times a day as they do mess it up and every time I walk past their cage and see poop I scoop that straight away too, but so far so good!

I’ve also set up a little studio in my living room to get some good photos of them tomorrow, I’ve never photographed ducklings before and have no idea how it will go! Here’s a photo of my “home studio” lino on the floor for easy clean after little ‘accidents’, boxes all around to create a small space they can feel safer in, I’ll also turn the heating to max tomorrow to make sure they stay warm and toastie for their modelling debut!