Great Weather for Ducks

This is October weather!  Forty at night, damp, rainy and cloudy.  I've been cranking up the wool pipeline the way I should have done a month ago, but with two days of rain I have a serious drying problem.  Lots of lovely soaking wet teal Bluefaced Leicester in bags.  Was hoping to get a package off to the carding mill before we leave for Maine.  Radar shows a clear sky coming, we'll see.  Good news - little ducky has a friend.  This baby is not as viable as the first egg buster.  He pecked a tiny hole but no more.  After a day of watching his little beak gasping for air I "helped" him bust out.  Good thing - the placenta that was keeping him alive had gone bad. He's slowly coming around with me teaching him how to drink water.  First little duck is scrambling around, climbing over him, pecking at him, etc., but I think that helps keep him stimulated.  One more egg to hatch.  We'll see.  Outside duckies are loving this rainy weather.  I find them bathing in containers I've left around, following Mama Duck everywhere, eating grass and bugs.  Was horrified to look outside when a heavy downpour was going on to see Mama had not taken the babies back in the hay mow.  She was flapping her wings and opening her beak to the rain while the babies shuddered and cowered.  I guess she was teaching them that rain is a good thing for ducks.  They are strong, hardy babies.  I'll be relieved when they are bigger and less vulnerable.  The Pekins are not as aggressively protective as the Swedish Blues.   This mama runs away with the babies when she sees me coming.  The Swedish Blue mama flys at my head and bites!  Good girl!  On deck for today - more wool dyeing and critter tending.  I'll drag the market tables inside to cut out some totes, then spread out some wet wool on them.  Not as good as sunshine and gentle breezes, but better than sitting in bags on the floor.