We are down to seven ducklings from the original ten. That’s better odds than if they were in “the wild.” Usually only 1/3 of a nest of baby ducks will live to be adult ducks. They must be a pretty tasty “meal.”

Please excuse the photography. I’m not a great photographer to begin with and it’s not easy taking pictures of moving ducklings through a fence before their momma herds them up behind her.

Those patio bricks were put there to keep them from going through the fence and any hole they could find. If they get out they don’t know how to get back in. Dumb ducks!

The Momma had to be let in the cage 4 times yesterday. We think that she has been protecting the ducklings against the big black birds. Those nasty black birds go right in the duck cage and eat the food! Momma Duck can fly out, but not back in.  I guess it’s not just the babies that are dumb.

Today the kids and I have been watching out the window and hollering “Shoo!” at the black birds. Our shouting doesn’t seem to bother Momma Duck, and the kids think it’s quite exciting to protect the ducklings. Sometimes by the time I notice the black birds in the yard the Momma already has her babies hidden.

I found another duck nest today. More news about that in another post.