I just adopted two Rouen ducks. Never had ducks before. Before April 1st, never had chickens, turkeys or geese. Here are my thoughts:
Animals have their own behavior and charm. When I went into the duck pen, I was surprised at the dirty water, but since I change out the water twice daily, it didn't really bother me. I had to add more wood shavings to keep the area cleaner. They spill their food -- well, with bills like that, it's little wonder.
They're cute. It's not like I'm keeping them in my house, so why worry about the mess? When I got geese, I thought they were obnoxious. Now, I find them comical and even charming. I found that comparing different birds and expecting them to act in a different way wasn't going to work.
My point is that ducks are ducks. Don't compare them to your chickens -- look at their positives instead. The little buggers are cute. They quack. They splash in water. They make a mess and are delighted to do so. They mutter at each other and at me. And hopefully I'll be getting some eggs out of them.
Did I mention how pretty they are?
Animals have their own behavior and charm. When I went into the duck pen, I was surprised at the dirty water, but since I change out the water twice daily, it didn't really bother me. I had to add more wood shavings to keep the area cleaner. They spill their food -- well, with bills like that, it's little wonder.
They're cute. It's not like I'm keeping them in my house, so why worry about the mess? When I got geese, I thought they were obnoxious. Now, I find them comical and even charming. I found that comparing different birds and expecting them to act in a different way wasn't going to work.
My point is that ducks are ducks. Don't compare them to your chickens -- look at their positives instead. The little buggers are cute. They quack. They splash in water. They make a mess and are delighted to do so. They mutter at each other and at me. And hopefully I'll be getting some eggs out of them.
Did I mention how pretty they are?
