My Duck Keeping Days

My Duck Keeping Days

by Patty of CatCalls & DogBarks

Indian Runner

I don't remember why I became so enamored with ducks. Initially, it was probably due to our desire to become as self sufficient as possible. I didn't care for chickens, so if I wanted eggs, ducks seemed the next best thing.

I just know that before I had my first of seven children, I ordered about six or seven from a hatchery, transformed the chain link dog kennel into a duck pen, and fixed them up with a nice little plastic pool to splash around in. The females would quack, and the males would preen their curly tail feathers. They were highly entertaining and didn't require much care and because they played so much in the water, they stayed relatively clean. And... after about three months, I was getting beautiful colored eggs :) How exciting!

Khaki eggs

Those first ducks were Indian Runners... funny looking, tall, quick moving quacking wonders. They were decent layers and gave mild flavored eggs. As time went by, I investigated many duck breeds.

They were all very personable, inquisitive, beautiful birds. But for egg laying, there were no better than the Khaki Campbell. These tawny, medium sized ducks would lay an egg a day in peak season when the days were long and plenty during the winter as well. They were mild tasting, though I mainly used them for baking.

These ducks were intelligent enough to be trained to go to the pond in the morning and come back up in the afternoon for feeding, then into the barn at night. Ducks are not known to be good 'sitters' and it was a rare year indeed if we ever had a duckling hatch from a mother. We would have to incubate the eggs ourselves if we wanted to see any ducklings.

Khaki-Campbell-Duck-Drake

But we did have two exceptions... after placing three or four eggs in an incubator one year, only one hatched. Since we were the first and only living things the duck saw, we became her parents. She truly thought she was one of us! One of my sons named her Gramu (gram-oo). Gramu would take walks with us down to the creek... about a half mile and she would let us pick her up and pet her. She came into the house and would have loved to stay there if we let her :) She was truly a pet.

Another time, Desiree, a female Khaki, was obviously laying eggs somewhere during the spring which was not unusual. What WAS unusual is that she actually SAT on them! None of us really expected that any would hatch, but to our complete surprise, one day a few little fuzzy bodies appeared on the grass by the pond. How cute! We were thrilled! But that wasn't all of them. Later that day a few more toddled out. Wow... six or seven! But that wasn't all of them either. The next morning another bevy appeared.... making it a total of 13 ducklings! What a treat to see all of these little feathery wonders being raised by momma duck instead of by us in the bathtub!

Khaki ducklings-swimming

Eventually our duck days ended, but the memories live on. If you are considering an egg laying bird, don't overlook the Khaki Campbell duck. It may be the perfect addition to your family for providing both food and fun!

American Kitty Collection

by CatCalls

An update from Marilyn...

... in reply to her first blog post:

http://etsyforanimals.blogspot.com/2010/01/from-efa-member-marilyn.html

"Nothing has really changed except I get more caring and if one animal shows it is hurt in any way, I keep a close eye on it. Right now I think one of my squirrels fell out of a tree and it runs in circles with it's head parallel to the ground. I just saw this the other day so I toss peanuts close to it and although it can't at first find it, it does and runs away like a drunken sailor and is seemingly happy.

The lakes in Madison, Wisconsin are a relief for me because I only have to spend $7.37 for 1-50# bag of corn to feed them right now. It is increasing now though (2 bags a week) because I think their antenna is up for the coming weather. They are coming more frequently and in more numbers.

They are amazing. They come rocketing into my backyard at the strangest times but I now see it is always close to their 5:00 P.M. dinner hour and I leave food out at 7:00 P.M. for their morning feed. I keep the big dish or top of a bird bath filled with fresh water and the ducks think they have a private pool. They actually wait for me to fill it and hop in and just sit there.

I don't care to be out anywhere after dark but if one stray squirrel or duck happen to stop by I make sure they are fed and content before I can relax. I said rocket in the above paragraph, they come in so fast. They miss the telephone wires and trees and anything in their path. They come down right in front of me sooo gracefully yet fast. They come feet first and leave head first. Their wing spread is magnificent and so graceful. They run really fast and take off and with poetry in motion. If you could just watch them in slooow motion.

Last night I was thinking as I watched them how wonderful it would be if the world got along like nature. There were 2 big, no, huge rabbits, 3 squirrels and maybe... 5 ducks all eating out of the same patch of corn mixed with bird seed and a bird would fly in and eat and leave. They do this all right in front of me. I am in awe and wonderment as I sit still and talk to them lightly and they seem to respond. The ducks make a cooing sound.

If you all read this, I could sure use help with donations to feed the little ones. I always say, I wonder if one day there will be a bear in my backyard and what would I do. I wish all people could be a part of the natural process of nature as I am seeing it.

And, by-the-way, I am now writing a childrens book on my ducks. Watch for it. It is going to be called, "My Little Lost Duck, (now found). It is about an experience I just had with a mom and baby duck and myself.

Have a beautiful day.

I am sincerely,

Marilyn R. Meier-O'Brien

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