We picked up some ducks from a local CSA, The Bending Sickle Farm. The boys brought their own cash, picked out their ducks and helped chase them down. These are Runner ducks and very quick. I bought the remaining three for the younger children to enjoy as well.
We transported them in some rubbermaid bins with the lids cracked for air and I have to admit not 15 miles into the ride home I was questioning whether George had a dirty diaper, the response was negative. I asked again and again and even questioned Henry if he'd had a little accident, again no, it was the ducks! They really stunk up our van, that's saying a lot since our van is prone to some rather stinky smells.
We had originally planned for them to be secured in an empty horse stall for the night and left to free range during the day. These girls (they are all active layers) however, would not be contained. My boys learned the real meaning of a "wild goose chase" trying to corral them back to their intended shelter. It was as if they were in a real life video game. At one point, James assigned Peter to defense and William was on offense as they strategically went in on the ducks.
William has a way with birds, actually it's all animals, and he was successful in gently carrying them into the fenced-in chicken pasture. With the threat of coyotes they actually got three into the coop with the hens, though I don't think the hens were too happy with that. In the morning William found one duck egg in the coop and the three boys split is sunny side down.
Today they led three of them out to the pond but there was no recovering the others from the thick weeds. Either way, none of our ducks are properly secure from possible predators so there'll be many prayers on the ducks behalf tonight.
James' duck is a gray one named "Quackers", William's is a black one with pretty blue feathers beneath its wings, as soon as we got in the car he had named his "Daffy". Peter's is the khaki one and named "Roundtree" after a football player.
I don't know what is more comical, watching the ducks run or the kids chase after them.
You got your ducks! How fun! I love the photos. We are jealous.
ReplyDeleteBen just mentioned that the best duck book is by David Holderread and he thinks it is called "Raising the home duck flock."
Have you heard of the breed of ducks that have square eggs for people who live on hills? You might want to let your boys know about this! This is idea came from a Pecos Bill legend and it really tickled our boys fancy.