A Journey Through a Different Way - Funny Story Pg. 69

[Cetawin]

Sorry for your loss Ruth. Regarding your dream....I always pay attention to them myself. I would ask my daughter to bring something to contain the dog...IE...A lead or chain...or you lock it up in a secure place or something. If this animal is not accustomed to being around these free rangers it might be disasterous.

I so love your posts.

 

[WillsMama93]

So sorry to hear about your experience, Ruth. I hope your other ducks are all fine. :aww

 

[Omeletta]

Sorry, Ruth, to hear of your awful loss. And right infront of you. I'm so sorry.

I did want to say how much I appreciate you sharing about doing things more naturally. I agree, even tho sometimes tragedy can happen. Please keep posting! Your posts are some of my favorite posts, and I look forward to reading each one.

Tanya

 

[Parson's Wife]

Oh, I am so sorry.

I know your heartsick.

 

[ruth]

Thank you all for your kind words and comfort. The other 5 ducks are fine this morning.

Tanya - your words mean a lot to me and I'm glad to hear you enjoy my posts.

*************

Side Bar:

I'm already getting some not so nice posts on the other thread about the irresponsiblity of free ranging and I'm hoping that doesn't happen on this thread because while the other one can get locked I woudn't want that to happen to this one because it is my Journey thread. So would all those who want to post irrate, how irresponsible posts please do so on the other thread.

 

[ruth]

Today's Update:

Guess what hubby just came in with? Yep, a whole box full of baby Mallards - nine of them.

He's yet to buy chicks and ducks but was so upset over the killings yesterday that he secretly called feed store to ask if they had any ducks and they had just received a shipment of Mallards this morning.

Now I'm off to show them to Lucy while I can safely hold one in my hands and let her sniff and get to know it. I haven't been able to touch, hold or catch the others since I let them out of the cage when they were a week old so now I can start over with babies and teach the dog like I did with baby chicks when I first got those.

 

[Omeletta]

Aww...sorry to hear about the other thread, Ruth. What a blessing of a husband you must have! That's wonderful that he did that. I hope it goes well with the introductions, and I know just from reading your posts that you are a responsible animal lover. Enjoy your new babies, and post pics soon!

Tanya

 

[ruth]

WOW - what a frantic crazy 20 minutes that's been. Was putting baby ducks in dog kennel in run. No sooner got all 9 in when they started escaping right through the bars. I would have thought they couldn't fit but they squeezed their little butts right through. As I would try and catch one that got out the others would escape. After a bit I just stood back and watched and laughed. All 9 were out and ran straight to the 5 big ducks and started following them around. The big ducks just kind of checked them out for a minute and then they were all one big pack.

After I got a smaller cage set up with food and water I had to chase and catch all 9. Boy are they fast and can maneuver like little football players. Now they are all settled in and playing in a shallow container of water for the first time in their lives and the big ducks are sticking their noses/beaks into cage for a peak. Tried to get a picture but camera batteries died.

I picked one brave volunteer to go and meet Lucy. I showed her the duck and talked to her and let her sniff. All the while I petted it and loved on it and her. Then when she tried to follow me into run I fussed at her and told her "no" and she ran off. I'll work with her every day till I know she can be trusted.

 

[kodiakchicken]

Ruth, I'm so sorry for your loss. But what a wonderful husband you have! Don't you just love it when these big tough guys go and do something so mushy and sweet?

I admire you for being able to free-range the way you do. Sounds like you are on the right track with Lucy. We have a big retreiver/shepherd cross that's just fascinated by the chicks and ducks, but I can't tell if that fascination has any aggression in it. We do the same thing, hold the babies up to her and speak softly and pet them both. She was an abused dog as well and once she decides something is part of her family she is feircly protective, so hopefully that's the way things will go with the chickens and ducks.

I had to laugh at your description of the little ducks moving as fast as football players. Ours are the same way! What little buggers to catch! We've only let them loose in the house, but when they break free they can really move! Our little black cayuga is so fast that my daughter named him Zipper!

Best of luck with everything. It always works out the way it is meant to.

 

[ruth]

Yeah, got a big mushy hubby here. I wasn't going to post this but after Lucy killed the 6 big Mallards I told my husband it may sound cold but did he want to try and clean them. That it would be a shame to let them go to waste and they looked pretty big - near full size and eating them would be better than just throwing them in trash and that we need to start preparing ourselves for eating the chickens and ducks that will start quickly multiplying. Now mind you he's a man who, before we met/married 9 years ago used to go on corporate hunting trips all over the world. Loved hunting and cleaning game. Hasn't hunted since marrying me and living in the woods with wildlife.

Anyway he said he would clean them. Well he got a partial way through the first one and then said "There's not enough meat on them - maybe you should up their protein" and walked off. Personally, I think he just couldn't do it. He even said today that the sight of all of them laying all over the yard is still with him and that's why he went to get more live ones.

Big mushy guy - gotta love it.