Crisco the Crested Duck
I got Crisco a couple weeks ago on a small farm out in the country. We drove a good 45 minutes and finally turned into their driveway. Their house was very western and far from the dirt road. Wooden shutters, a welcoming wooden oak door and a cool breeze welcomed us to this farm. Roosters were crowing and ducks were quacking, hens were clucking and Quail were cooing all in a distance. There was a large white greenhouse where the quail were housed and the couple raised their own feed for their little farm and the animals they raised.
There were 30 or so little quail running around and all really friendly in the greenhouse. In the corner in the back, there was one of those tiny china-made chicken coops, which are perfect for quail and the couple mentioned they bred their button quail as a hobby. We walked past the green house and into a big, grass filled yard with a mini-barn in the back. There were four main groups of chickens, a huge African Goose gander, who's feathers were wet and felt like play-doh, the husband thought that was odd and felt his feathers too, and then agreed.
They also had a group of ducks, which had a large lifted pool that was three feet deep and located in the middle and the goose shared with them as well. The owners were 40 or so, and didn't have kids so they raised farm animals instead. They had four pens extending from their little barn, two were empty for the free ranging flocks to enter and exit in. The pens were only four foot tall, so were kinda hard to get into so it was easier to just go through the barn.
The first pen had a flock of Silkie Bantams, two roosters and maybe fifteen hens and couple chicks. The silkies were splash, black, white and buff in color. The barn had straw in it and wooden floors. Crisco the Crested Duck was in the last pen, all by himself, the husband owner had already caught him before we arrived. There was an outdoor garden behind the barn, with pumpkins and squash. We went into the run to pick up Crisco. He flipped out and the owners gave him a hug, and shared his story with me as the put him in my carrier. He was supposed to hen and get added to their flock of cayuga ducks but, "Chrissy" as they called him ended up being a "Crisco" and the other male ducks didn't accept him even with the addition of more female ducks. So they decided to re-home him and I sounded like the best fit as I bring my chickens to petting zoos. They told me Crisco was a friendly duckling but when he was put outside, their chickens taught him to be wild. Speaking of their chickens, they had an Easter Egger rooster, a Copper Marans rooster and a Cuckoo Marans rooster with assorted purebred and mixed breed hens like Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers, Red Selinks, Favorolles and Brown Leghorns.
Crisco had only costed $5 and then I let them sell me two button quail when they let me hold their chicks, they sold two to me for $5, even though they were going to sell them for $4/each. I'm glad they did too.
I thanked the couple for selling me the duck and the quail and invited them to the petting zoo and fair. They said they'd try and make it. Then we drove the long way home and everytime we looked in the backseat, Crisco Quacked. Otherwise he was totally silent.
Anyway, Crisco now has his own kiddie pool and loves to be sprayed with the hose. The button quail I bought are a pair and live in a big cage by my coop. Now for more pictures of Crisco!
These are the quail:
Hope you enjoyed,
-Whittni
I got Crisco a couple weeks ago on a small farm out in the country. We drove a good 45 minutes and finally turned into their driveway. Their house was very western and far from the dirt road. Wooden shutters, a welcoming wooden oak door and a cool breeze welcomed us to this farm. Roosters were crowing and ducks were quacking, hens were clucking and Quail were cooing all in a distance. There was a large white greenhouse where the quail were housed and the couple raised their own feed for their little farm and the animals they raised.
There were 30 or so little quail running around and all really friendly in the greenhouse. In the corner in the back, there was one of those tiny china-made chicken coops, which are perfect for quail and the couple mentioned they bred their button quail as a hobby. We walked past the green house and into a big, grass filled yard with a mini-barn in the back. There were four main groups of chickens, a huge African Goose gander, who's feathers were wet and felt like play-doh, the husband thought that was odd and felt his feathers too, and then agreed.
They also had a group of ducks, which had a large lifted pool that was three feet deep and located in the middle and the goose shared with them as well. The owners were 40 or so, and didn't have kids so they raised farm animals instead. They had four pens extending from their little barn, two were empty for the free ranging flocks to enter and exit in. The pens were only four foot tall, so were kinda hard to get into so it was easier to just go through the barn.
The first pen had a flock of Silkie Bantams, two roosters and maybe fifteen hens and couple chicks. The silkies were splash, black, white and buff in color. The barn had straw in it and wooden floors. Crisco the Crested Duck was in the last pen, all by himself, the husband owner had already caught him before we arrived. There was an outdoor garden behind the barn, with pumpkins and squash. We went into the run to pick up Crisco. He flipped out and the owners gave him a hug, and shared his story with me as the put him in my carrier. He was supposed to hen and get added to their flock of cayuga ducks but, "Chrissy" as they called him ended up being a "Crisco" and the other male ducks didn't accept him even with the addition of more female ducks. So they decided to re-home him and I sounded like the best fit as I bring my chickens to petting zoos. They told me Crisco was a friendly duckling but when he was put outside, their chickens taught him to be wild. Speaking of their chickens, they had an Easter Egger rooster, a Copper Marans rooster and a Cuckoo Marans rooster with assorted purebred and mixed breed hens like Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers, Red Selinks, Favorolles and Brown Leghorns.
Crisco had only costed $5 and then I let them sell me two button quail when they let me hold their chicks, they sold two to me for $5, even though they were going to sell them for $4/each. I'm glad they did too.
I thanked the couple for selling me the duck and the quail and invited them to the petting zoo and fair. They said they'd try and make it. Then we drove the long way home and everytime we looked in the backseat, Crisco Quacked. Otherwise he was totally silent.
Anyway, Crisco now has his own kiddie pool and loves to be sprayed with the hose. The button quail I bought are a pair and live in a big cage by my coop. Now for more pictures of Crisco!
These are the quail:
Hope you enjoyed,
-Whittni
