Shawna, known to BYC members as shawluvsbirds, has been a member of our community since April 2017. She will most often be found in the Ducks section, where she is known for her friendliness and of course her lovely ducks!
1. Tell us a bit more about yourself.
View attachment 1607971
Well, for starters, I look exactly like Shania Twain and that's why they call me "FAKE EILLEEN"
Just kidding, that is a joke that started when I first joined byc. I do enjoy singing and I love country music, I have brown hair that used to be long. And that about sums up anything I actually might have in common with the real Eilleen. (Shania)
I live in the same small town in southwest Missouri where I grew up and I am the kitchen manager at the same high school I graduated from. That is fancy way of saying I am a lunch lady
I am married to my very best friend Jason for close to seven years now and combined we have three adult children two girls and a boy. Our oldest of the two girls recently made us the proud grandparents of a baby girl who I refer to here as my little "minnow"
View attachment 1607972
When I'm not working at the school or doing something with my family I enjoy reading, doing home improvement projects or crafts, messing in my flower beds, hanging out here on byc and of course watching the birds!
View attachment 1607993
View attachment 1607994
2. Why and when did you start keeping poultry?
I actually do not have any chickens. . . yet. I am just a crazy duck lady.
I was gifted my first two little call ducks named Duck and Jane back in October of 2016 by long time friend of my family and co-worker at the school. He knew I had always wanted ducks and threatened to bring me ducklings for a couple of years prior. I kept insisting I had nowhere to keep ducks but he told me I would keep them if he gave them to me and he was right. He never was able to hatch any ducklings but when he started having health issues he decided he needed to re-home some of his critters and he wanted me to have this little call duck pair. How could I say no? And so it began.
View attachment 1607995
Here is what he said to me when I called to ask him to stop by for this picture.
"I have given away hundreds of birds in my life, but none I have enjoyed as much as giving you those two little ducks!"
3. Which aspect(s) of chicken keeping do you enjoy the most?
Ah. It would be easier to list the few things I don't enjoy. That would be:
1. Carrying gallons of water in jugs in the winter.
2. Cleaning up their poo
3. Finding a duck sitter any time I need to be gone over night.
I enjoy everything else about my birds. I even enjoy the chores most of the time because it gives me a chance to interact with them. My favourite thing is probably watching how excited they get when I drain and refill their swimming water! Ducks just seem so full of joy it's hard to even look at them and not smile!
4. Which members of your flock, past and present, stand out for you and why?
This one is hard! They all have their little quirks that make them unique to me.
Presently I have a Cayuga duck named Pip who has warmed up to me and lets me pet her more often than the others. . as long as I keep the treats coming
Past would have to be Howard, the rescued Rouen drake my hubby brought home who has his own story you can read here if you would like. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ed-duck-contest.1267803/page-15#post-20432547
5. What was the funniest (poultry related) thing(s) that happened to you in your years as poultry owner?
So far probably the funniest thing that's happened was the day I let my Rouen drake Howard out to range the yard along with my call drake Duck. All was good and they had quite the little bromance going on until Howard decided to try and take it to the next level little Duck proceeded to whoop the snot out of poor Howard! It was kind of sad. . . but yet hilarious to see Howard be intimidated by a duck not even half his size.
View attachment 1607973
Here they are sizing each other up.
6. Beside poultry, what other pets do you keep?
I have two labs named Price and Keysha who are the most laid back "duck" dogs you'll ever meet. They have never so much as given one of my birds a sideways glance. The hubby says I ruined them.
View attachment 1607977
View attachment 1607976
View attachment 1607975
I also have a big gray tabby cat named Grissom who thinks he owns me.
View attachment 1607978
7. Anything you'd like to add?
I have always had a love for birds wild and domestic. My favorite thing to do when I went to visit my grandparents as a child was to sit with my grandpa in the back yard and watch the wild birds come to their feeders. He could identify most any bird just by sound without even seeing them.
I've had a few parakeets and cockatiels as pets along the way, but I've always dreamed of owning an African grey parrot! Maybe some day, for now I am perfectly content to be the crazy duck lady next door
Here is a picture journey of how far duck math has taken me.
First came the duck condo built for Duck and Jane.
View attachment 1607980
View attachment 1607981
View attachment 1607979
View attachment 1607984
Then came the duck bus and the duck deck.
View attachment 1607985
View attachment 1607986
View attachment 1607989
View attachment 1607983
View attachment 1607987
View attachment 1607988
Now we have a duck palace. . and two duck barns
View attachment 1607991
View attachment 1607990
View attachment 1607992
Thank you all for reading and thanks to all my BYC family for all the support and for making me smile every day! I have made many special friends here that I will never forget
Luv, Shaw
https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/shawluvsbirds.472710/
See here for more about the interview feature and a complete list of member interviews:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/905602/introducing-vip-member-interviews/0_30
I found the interview lacking any mention of Ralphie Dux....this was a sad moment in time for me.......otherwise it was ok,,,I give it a 2 out of 100.....
I especially love the pictures. 
OK @duluthralphie, I think you should now go back and amend your rating of @shawluvsbirds interview!Everyone should have a dux named Ralphie!
