Baby Ducks

Every springtime at my old post office job...we had a small joyous event take place. You would walk in through the double doors, and you could hear chirping. Peep-peep. Peep-peep. THE CHICKENS ARE HERE! THE CHICKENS ARE HERE!

Before the days of worrying about getting germs...I would peel back the edge of the hole-filled box, pick up one of the chicks, and give it a good morning petting. So soft...so sweet...so cuddly.

We would then call the farmer, and he would drive in to get them. A sure sign that Spring had arrived.

One day I came into work...saw a box...and observed that the chicks weren't chirping. Uh-oh. I peeled back the edge...and...and...and...THEY WERE DUCKS! No wonder the little quackers weren't chirping.

I have mixed thoughts about chicks and ducks at Easter time. Too many times...parents buy them for their kids...and then the birds grow up, and are no longer wanted. Not good.

The farm store where I took this picture has a 6 minimum purchase on the chicks, and a 2 minimum purchase on the ducks. I suppose it is meant to deter parents from buying them for Easter. 2-3 dollars for each baby...depending on which type you buy.

We bought 12 chickens and 6 ducks. It's illegal to have them within our city limits, but I've hatched (ha) a plan to hide them in my garage during the day, and to take them out at night for walks. All with leashes, of course. And...we'll have to train them not to speak. (My chihauhau should help with that.) I've already got the lens picked out that I'm going to buy from the profits of the egg sales. (If you believed ANY of that...the yoke is on you!)

A shot of the chicks, and 2 shots of Merrick are on my FLICKR PAGE. I'm getting ready to watch our Michigan Wolverines as they prepare to play in the Final Four (college basketball.) GO BLUE!

P.S. I didn't know until today that people used duck eggs. The sign stated that the eggs were yokier, and that some people liked them better for baking.