The Mallard Family
Our six Mallards were obtained through a water fowl agency in June. They were just hatchlings and very cute!
We kept them in the house while they were still little and needed heat. After about two weeks, I decided to let them go swimming. So, I filled our kiddie pool with a little water and tilted it up so that only a portion of the bottom of the pool had water.
I got my laundry basket and one by one, picked up the ducklings and placed them into it. I carried them out to the pool and placed them one by one into the water. What a riot! They began swimming and splashing around like pros! I have read that because the mother duck was not there to preen their feathers, that they may become waterlogged and drown. Not the case here! It was only a week and water was beading up nicely like water off a duck's back ;->
The weeks went by and the little guys were growing and beginning to show their personalities. The one which stands out the most is the "trouble maker" I call Fast Eddie. Fast Eddie is loud and FAST!
He/she (not known at this time) is the ring leader to get stuff started. The other ducks are very placated and not too excitable. One night, in the house......in their cardboard box.....an escape happened. The next morning I went down to feed the ducks and only 4 of the 6 were in the box! I knew they couldn't go far, so I started to chirp-whistle, like I always do when approaching their box.
Guess who came screaming out behind a cabinet? FAST EDDIE! And with him calmly walking out to me was his/her accomplice (which I believe was coerced into the escape). So, how did they get out? They can't fly or jump out of the box...... After careful examination of their quarters, I noticed a hole in the corner of the box which was soaking wet and there, in the wetness, was the escape hole!
OK, cardboard boxes are not working well. So, off to the garage, on a stall mat with a pen, with straw and watering station, and a wooden box to hide under, go the ducks. I thought that this would be "mean", but in reality they love it! Cochise doesn't mind either. His stall is next to the duck pen. Now he has "buddies" as stall mates.
Now every morning I go down to the garage to feed the critters, I announce "mornin' campers!" and I hear ducks quacking and chirping loudly, then a whinny from Cochise. Life is great at the Big Sky Ranch!
Stay tuned for more adventures!
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