What a warm up!

When the weatherman said that our temperatures could get into the 60's today I was happy and figured even 60 is good. Well we made it to 70 F today! What a treat, yesterday was warm and today was even warmer. I took advantage of this weather and got lots of outdoor work done. Coop cleaning, run cleaning, more maple tapping and dealing with some compost. There was some indoor work too the usual cooking and cleaning and I cleaned out the chicks brooder.

Buckets are filling up with sap.

KitKat supervises.

Washing more buckets to tap maple trees.

I was fortunate to be in the run to see Rocky, Hayley's Swedish Duck lay an egg, in fact it was probably her very first! I'd noticed the younger ducks acting a bit secretive the last couple days seeming to look for quiet spots and sitting for a bit but no eggs. Today there was an egg from Rocky! Only a little smaller than the eggs we get from the older ducks.

Rocky's First Egg!

That makes three duck eggs today.

I am happy to say that the three new adopted ducks  are fitting in very well with the flock already. Watching them in the fenced yard today it was hard to differentiate new ducks from old. They all seemed to have a grand time enjoying all the water that resulted from melting snow and ice.
I noticed most of the ducks watching something just outside the fence and saw it was a squirrel captivating them. It even came into the fenced area and climbed up and down a tree in front of the ducks, taunting them I think!

Chickens and ducks alike enjoyed all the new area opening up and more and more snow melted through the day. Lots more spots in the fenced yard became snow free or low snow and chickens were willing to walk on it.

The ducks are quite anxious for the ice to melt so they can have a good swim!

Longer days lots more eggs in the nest boxes.

Well tomorrow winter will return and I will miss the warmth but spring has to eventually arrive. It was nice to have this two day preview.

Editing to add, all 10 ducks, 7 originals, 3 new adopted ducks all went in to bed together in the coop. They are one flock already not even quite a week since we adopted the new 3. It was a special moment.