Ducks and their ability to recover

[tmorgan46]

Thank you for sharing.  Keep up the TLC and keep close watch of the healing of his wound and treat it the minute anything happens to it.  I struggled with my Buffy as trying to catch her sometimes just added more stress to her.  But she made it finally and sounds like your Houdini will also.  It is hard to keep them separate because they so much want to be with the others.  And yes, please post a photo.

Here's a recent photo where you can see the scar that runs from corner of one eye to the other.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here's a recent photo where you can see the scar that runs from corner of one eye to the other.

What happened if you don't mind me asking?

 

[tmorgan46]

When we first brought Houdini and two other ducklings and one gosling home, we put them in with other ducks a few weeks older and one pre-adult goose. It looked like it was going okay, but after a few hours I noticed the older goose pecking at all the new ducklings. Before I could get them out, she pecked him on his head and caused a small gash. Once separated, the three ducklings were kept in an old dog carrier and the when we got home that afternoon only two ducklings were still in it... Houdini (hence his name) had somehow manged to get out and in the process ripped wide open the small gash caused by the older goose and it completely exposed his scalp. I was mortified! He was back in the yard with the older ducklings and two geese, running crazy tryinjg to avoid them!! Of course, like any story, that's never the end of his antics but I'll put a close here. Mostly because the next chapter was just a nerve wracking experience and didn't make his condition any better or worse. But he did escape again, so the name really stuck!! He's a stinker!

 

[Miss Lydia]

When we first brought Houdini and two other ducklings and one gosling home, we put them in with other ducks a few weeks older and one pre-adult goose. It looked like it was going okay, but after a few hours I noticed the older goose pecking at all the new ducklings. Before I could get them out, she pecked him on his head and caused a small gash. Once separated, the three ducklings were kept in an old dog carrier and the when we got home that afternoon only two ducklings were still in it... Houdini (hence his name) had somehow manged to get out and in the process ripped wide open the small gash caused by the older goose and it completely exposed his scalp. I was mortified! He was back in the yard with the older ducklings and two geese, running crazy tryinjg to avoid them!! Of course, like any story, that's never the end of his antics but I'll put a close here. Mostly because the next chapter was just a nerve wracking experience and didn't make his condition any better or worse. But he did escape again, so the name really stuck!! He's a stinker!

Well you'll have to share more of his antics he sounds like a stinker but glad you stuck with him and have helped him recover.

 

[Carcajou]

Well you'll have to share more of his antics he sounds like a stinker but glad you stuck with him and have helped him recover.

X2!

 

[tmorgan46]

Okay, so here's Houdini part deux:
While recuperating from his split head, the spousal unit would take him into work with her; the office she's in, there's a parakeet and the two would constantly sing / call back and forth. After almost two weeks of this, one afternoon as the wife came home, she set Houdini in his plastic tote down on the front porch to unlock the door. She saw the movement out of the corner of her eye - he jumped out of the tote and ran off the end of the porch into the woods. We live on three acres, two of which are heavily wooded and not really friendly for us upright walking types. I got home 30 minutes or so after the wife, and I'm greeted by her, still in her work clothes out in the woods and she's got the net with her. I joined her in the search and the more we were both out there in good clothes and not hearing or seeing anything of the little bugger, we both started getting disheartened. I took a break from the search to change into clothes I don't mind getting torn up by the thorn, briars and brambles... As I was changing I came up with what I hoped was a brilliant plan - the ducks always called for each other anytime they were separated. So before resuming my search I grabbed one of the other ducklings and held on for dear life. Within ten minutes the two ducks were calling back and forth and we finally spotted Houdini. It took another 30 minutes of with us hunkered down trying to coax him closer as I held on tightly to his duckling friend. As soon as he was close enough, the wife grabbed him and we both made our way out of the woods. The final cost?
Two sets of dress clothes ruined - probably $50 or $60 bucks. Two humans in severe need of couples counceling - hundred bucks a session I would guess and one safe and sound Houdini (kept after that in a much larger tote with a chicken wire lid!!) - priceless.

Okay, that last part is over played, but I couldn't resist.

Troy & Tina

 

[Carcajou]

Okay, so here's Houdini part deux:
While recuperating from his split head, the spousal unit would take him into work with her; the office she's in, there's a parakeet and the two would constantly sing / call back and forth. After almost two weeks of this, one afternoon as the wife came home, she set Houdini in his plastic tote down on the front porch to unlock the door. She saw the movement out of the corner of her eye - he jumped out of the tote and ran off the end of the porch into the woods. We live on three acres, two of which are heavily wooded and not really friendly for us upright walking types. I got home 30 minutes or so after the wife, and I'm greeted by her, still in her work clothes out in the woods and she's got the net with her. I joined her in the search and the more we were both out there in good clothes and not hearing or seeing anything of the little bugger, we both started getting disheartened. I took a break from the search to change into clothes I don't mind getting torn up by the thorn, briars and brambles... As I was changing I came up with what I hoped was a brilliant plan - the ducks always called for each other anytime they were separated. So before resuming my search I grabbed one of the other ducklings and held on for dear life. Within ten minutes the two ducks were calling back and forth and we finally spotted Houdini. It took another 30 minutes of with us hunkered down trying to coax him closer as I held on tightly to his duckling friend. As soon as he was close enough, the wife grabbed him and we both made our way out of the woods. The final cost?
Two sets of dress clothes ruined - probably $50 or $60 bucks. Two humans in severe need of couples counceling - hundred bucks a session I would guess and one safe and sound Houdini (kept after that in a much larger tote with a chicken wire lid!!) - priceless.

Okay, that last part is over played, but I couldn't resist.

Troy & Tina

That was a good ploy to grab another duckling. I know when our Buffy was gone that night alone it was very disheartening. Since she had been spending a lot of time alone I didn't even think to grab another duck like you did.

But to the ending of your story, the part you couldn't resist,

PS - fortunately I am retired so can wear my wading through the briers and brambles clothes all the time!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay, so here's Houdini part deux:
While recuperating from his split head, the spousal unit would take him into work with her; the office she's in, there's a parakeet and the two would constantly sing / call back and forth. After almost two weeks of this, one afternoon as the wife came home, she set Houdini in his plastic tote down on the front porch to unlock the door. She saw the movement out of the corner of her eye - he jumped out of the tote and ran off the end of the porch into the woods. We live on three acres, two of which are heavily wooded and not really friendly for us upright walking types. I got home 30 minutes or so after the wife, and I'm greeted by her, still in her work clothes out in the woods and she's got the net with her. I joined her in the search and the more we were both out there in good clothes and not hearing or seeing anything of the little bugger, we both started getting disheartened. I took a break from the search to change into clothes I don't mind getting torn up by the thorn, briars and brambles... As I was changing I came up with what I hoped was a brilliant plan - the ducks always called for each other anytime they were separated. So before resuming my search I grabbed one of the other ducklings and held on for dear life. Within ten minutes the two ducks were calling back and forth and we finally spotted Houdini. It took another 30 minutes of with us hunkered down trying to coax him closer as I held on tightly to his duckling friend. As soon as he was close enough, the wife grabbed him and we both made our way out of the woods. The final cost?
Two sets of dress clothes ruined - probably $50 or $60 bucks. Two humans in severe need of couples counseling - hundred bucks a session I would guess and one safe and sound Houdini (kept after that in a much larger tote with a chicken wire lid!!) - priceless.

Okay, that last part is over played, but I couldn't resist.

Troy & Tina

Now that was hilarious too bad you didn't have a game camera set up but the visuals are there anyway. lol I'm glad it worked with the duck to get Houdini back safe and sound. I get to were my tromping around in woods clothes all the time to.

I can see you both telling a counselor about this ordeal while he is secretly texting them to come and pick you 2 up..

Like me explaining to the people at the eye glasses place how my glasses got bent up when my goose slapped me in the face. The look on their face was priceless too.

 

[tmorgan46]

That was a good ploy to grab another duckling. I know when our Buffy was gone that night alone it was very disheartening. Since she had been spending a lot of time alone I didn't even think to grab another duck like you did.

But to the ending of your story, the part you couldn't resist,

PS - fortunately I am retired so can wear my wading through the briers and brambles clothes all the time!

Thanks Carcajou! I tried the retired thing once and went back for more!! Now what was I thinking????? ;-)
I appreciate the comments.

 

[tmorgan46]

Now that was hilarious too bad you didn't have a game camera set up but the visuals are there anyway. lol I'm glad it worked with the duck to get Houdini back safe and sound. I get to were my tromping around in woods clothes all the time to.

I can see you both telling a counselor about this ordeal while he is secretly texting them to come and pick you 2 up..

Like me explaining to the people at the eye glasses place how my glasses got bent up when my goose slapped me in the face. The look on their face was priceless too.

Thanks Miss Lydia!!
I'm glad there wasn't a camera!! All the sound would be edited out. There was a blue streak coming from both of us... You'd think we were a coupe of sailors out on shore leave!!
Not really, but that's the only part I remember speech-wise I sure do like eating raspberries, but I don't like trying to walk through 'em!!!