guest column

For the past couple of months, my youngest has been asking for ducklings. My answer to this question is usually “No,” sometimes “No, no, no.” I have no desire to have ducklings in the middle of winter, as ducklings are nothing short of a mess. Chicks may kick their bedding a mile out of their cage, but compared to ducklings, chicks are tidy. Ducklings just look at water and somehow it is everywhere, then they poop in the water, and what you have is a poopy, watery mess with ducks in it. You can clean the duck’s waterer and give them fresh water, but your hand isn’t even out of their brooder before they are at the water, trying to get in the water, spilling the water, thus pooping in the water, and creating, yet again, another big mess. I do not want to clean up after ducklings in winter weather. With the weather looking up, and really spring is right around the corner, we finally said yes to the duck request. Now my youngest happily sits on the floor, giggling as the ducklings climb on her and nuzzle in her jacket, or run around peeping.