My sweet little ducklings are looking pretty scruffy these days. Now, almost a month old the ducklings are more like awkward teenagers. They've got some nice feathers coming in but are still mostly duckling fluff.

From Left To Right: Smokey, Bandit, Reese, and Sammy

They are huge these days. I am struggling with them because of their size. The weather at night is still too cold for them to be outside. Until they have their feathers and can maintain warmth the ducklings still have to be inside at night. They are spending a good portion of the day outside. I made them a much bigger pen with pallets to run around in. They have a bigger container of water to splash around in. They seem very happy outside.

Sammy Has Feathers On Her Chest And Back

Sammy and Reese's Pieces are the easiest to see feathers on. Reese was a brown duckling. Now that she is getting feathers, her brown has lovely designs. She's the hardest to get pictures of because she is always running around. She's going to be such a pretty duck when she's fully grown.

Smokey and Bandit, like Sammy, have lost their yellow and their necks have now turned white. They are pretty black and white ducklings now. Since their feathers are black is is hard to tell their fluff has turned into feathers.

Bandit Is The Leader of The Pack

Bandit is officially the leader I feel. Bandit is the first duck to get a quack. The other ducklings still make peeping sounds. Bandit has a loud quack. I take her out of the brooder first and take her outside to the pallet pen. Then, I release the rest of the ducks and they listen for Bandit's quack. They will walk through the house and outside straight to the pen where Bandit is. I open the door and they join her in the pen quick and easy. It's really nice because I no longer have to carry them one by one outside. Ducks stick together and my ducklings always try to find each other when separated. They all seem to follow Bandit best. Bandit is a brave duck and isn't as skittish as the rest.

I look forward to finishing their duck coop and the coming of hot weather so they can move outside permanently. These ducks are growing up too fast!