Trixie, Dixie & Winn-Dixie...

 Meet Trixie, Dixie & Winn-Dixie, the 3 baby ducks that have been keeping our family of 6 very busy for the last few weeks. Let me go into the story of how we came to get these little cute ducks.

As many of you know, I am a family photographer. This year, I decided to use a "prop" for the annual "4 Little Ones Photography 2011 Spring Mini Photo Sessions". I had made arrangements to "borrow" an Angora Bunny Rabbit for the days of my shoots. The night before I was expected to pick the bunny up at 6AM, I received a call from the owner advising that she & her husband had changed their mind & I could no longer pick this bunny up. PANIC....I had already hinted to clients that I had a special treat for the kiddies!

So, the next morning, I take 3 of the kids with me to the local Pet & Feed store. We come home with 3 absolutely adorable yellow baby ducks, about 4 inches big, along with an enormous bag of hay and duck food. I promise the kids, that we can keep them until Easter so they can learn to take care of them, but then we will give them to a farmer we know. 

So, the kids each pick out a duck, they discuss names while holding them the entire way home. For the next 2 hours, they study & play with these ducks & could tell them apart. I bring them to my 7 shoots and they are a hit with most of the children...everyone ooh'g and ahh'g over them like little babies!   Cute...right?

These ducks are lucky enough to come with us to our 2 Girl Scout meetings & also to the kids school classrooms for a little visit, the kids sit in a big circle so the ducks can walk around in the middle, allowing each student the chance to pet & feel them. We let them see how they migrate to each other when placed apart from one another & how they eat /drink. The kids all giggle and smile. Cute, right?


Here they are a few days later...already inches bigger...we start introducing them to bathtime so they can start learning to swim. The kids get sooo much enjoyment watching this as they dunk their heads in and try to run fast so it looks as if they are trying to just take off into a swim....cute right?

Few days later...OH MY...they are really getting big now!!! No longer can they take their bath in the big kitchen sink, they are graduating to the tub (with me bleaching it afterwards). They run in circles along the perimeter of the tub. the kids squeal in delight to see their little duckies trying to swim. They dunk their heads, then shake off. They poop...then eat it...the kids yell "Eww Gross...they just ate their own poop" They laugh!


They outgrow their box (this was just their transport box...but the earlier photo showed them all side-by-side, now only 2 could fit side by side), then used a large, rectangular laundry basket and put them in the upstairs bathroom which we were in the middle of renovating. They get constant attention and cuddles.

Dave & I go away for 2 days, the kids go to Grandma & Papa's. My sister & nephew agree it will be fun to take the ducks and care for them for the days we will be gone. We come home...in 2.5 days...they double in size! Swear! The have learned how to jump out of the basket and everything! Ahhh...what should I do? (The farmer has not called me back about when I can bring them to his farm.)


So...a few days ago, I built them an outside pen, with a feeder and a bath, and a plastic igloo that they can go inside to "nest and cuddle with each other". They love it! They spent the day outside all day, bathing, walking, stretching, eating, sleeping.  In 2 days...they grew out of their igloo and the paint trays that were recommended for "bathing". 

PS...this was a few days ago, they are inches bigger already! This paint tray is the X-Large size...they now ue it for drinking as they all can not swim in it together!!!


Umm...Farmer...where are you? Anyone wants a few ducks who like people?