If you know me at all, you might read this post and think it simply has to be fiction. Let me assure you, it is not. This Walcott Family is indeed raising five ducks! They are in a tub in our kitchen, and as I type I can hear them squeaking and drinking water.
Here is how it happened: We've been watching a mama duck and her nest for many weeks. It was up north. It was in landscaping very close to a basement window. This past weekend, the eggs hatched. At some point they fell into a basement window well. We were able to watch them from inside, and we quickly realized there was no way they were going to get out. While mama was away we carefully and quickly put in a piece a wood to serve as a ramp. We watched and waited, and we were quite proud of ourselves. Mama Duck returned and gathered them up and then headed towards the water. Two of the ducks made it out and followed her, but that mama never looked back. She left, and she never came back. We kept our distance, watched, and waited as the ten remaining ducks became a group of five. We can only assume the others got out, went in search of Mama, and inevitably didn't make it. When we were finally ready to leave, we were all kinda sick about the ducks. We did some research trying to figure out what we should do. There were no good options. We were watching "Survival of the Fittest" play out, and it was painful. We determined if we left the five remaining ducks where they were that they would certainly die. It was cooler; they had no food and no mama.
None of our cottage family and friends wanted to put any pressure on us, but it was clear the Walcott Homestead was the perfect relocation for them. We didn't have much time to think about it, but we just scooped them up and took them home. I sat in the front seat with five baby ducks in a tub on my lap all while thinking I was for sure a bit crazy.
We stopped at Tractor Supply to get the essentials. We've done quite a bit of research. Lots of folks raise ducks actually, but it still seems quite weird to me. Yet, here we are, and we're all in. We'll see this to the end, whenever that might be. The ducks are doing well: staying warm, snuggling, playing, eating, drinking, and pooping.
Jon will tell you between the ducks and the basketball hoop it is a Father's Day he will never forget. I didn't plan for it or see it coming, but I guess these ducks just became my summer project.
