"Mummy, come quick, there is something wrong with the duck!"

[ejctm]

This is what I heard from the garden on the weekend. My son calling to me in a panic. I rushed out to see what was wrong, fearing the worst.

Guess what I saw?

One of my 3.5 month old runner ducks doing the "neck thing" to one of the drakes!

Snaking that neck back and forth and making the most raucous quacking sound, pursuing the drake around the garden! Poor drake, he didn't know what to make of it, and just kept backing away slowly, as if to say, "OK, I'll just move away from this mad banshee!"

I said to my son, it's alright, there's nothing wrong with her, she is just being a hussy. He then said, "What is a hussy, mum?"

Hhhhhmmm, I think I have some explaining to do.......!!

 

[indianrunner]

hahaha that is so funny!! did you end up explaining????

 

[ejctm]

LOL. I kinda said that she wanted to be his girlfriend!

 

[critterranch]

i have had to some explaning before too almost the same thing happened i called it "piggy back rides"

 

[ejctm]

I am dreading it when they start at it for real. It is bad enough having to see the two pigeons on the wire outside my window doing it every day. I mean, surely they must get enough! It seems to be their favourite place, and so embarassing when I have visitors!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I think my oldest daughter was three when she first asked why the rooster was on top of the hen.

I replied, "He's breeding her." She was satisfied with that and did not pursue it further.

The next year she asked the same question again (different rooster and hen) and I gave the same answer. This time however she asked "what does breeding mean?"

I explained it's how the hen gets fertile eggs to hatch into baby chickies. This satisfied her and she asked no more.

The next year the same thing, the same response, but more detailed follow up questions. She's eleven now and after two embryology projects can give a pretty detailed explanation of the entire process from topping the hen to putting the chicks into the brooder.

We use the policy of "if she's old enough to ask the question she's old enough for a straight answer." We may not volunteer more than what she specifically asked about, but we'll give her a straight answer.

Works for us.

 

[theoldchick]

A.T. Hagan :

I think my oldest daughter was three when she first asked why the rooster was on top of the hen.

I replied, "He's breeding her." She was satisfied with that and did not pursue it further.

The next year she asked the same question again (different rooster and hen) and I gave the same answer. This time however she asked "what does breeding mean?"

I explained it's how the hen gets fertile eggs to hatch into baby chickies. This satisfied her and she asked no more.

The next year the same thing, the same response, but more detailed follow up questions. She's eleven now and after two embryology projects can give a pretty detailed explanation of the entire process from topping the hen to putting the chicks into the brooder.

We use the policy of "if she's old enough to ask the question she's old enough for a straight answer." We may not volunteer more than what she specifically asked about, but we'll give her a straight answer.

Works for us.

Excellent advice.​

 

[duckluck]

A.T. Hagan :

I think my oldest daughter was three when she first asked why the rooster was on top of the hen.

I replied, "He's breeding her." She was satisfied with that and did not pursue it further.

The next year she asked the same question again (different rooster and hen) and I gave the same answer. This time however she asked "what does breeding mean?"

I explained it's how the hen gets fertile eggs to hatch into baby chickies. This satisfied her and she asked no more.

The next year the same thing, the same response, but more detailed follow up questions. She's eleven now and after two embryology projects can give a pretty detailed explanation of the entire process from topping the hen to putting the chicks into the brooder.

We use the policy of "if she's old enough to ask the question she's old enough for a straight answer." We may not volunteer more than what she specifically asked about, but we'll give her a straight answer.

Works for us.

I think that's a great policy...I remember being old enough to ask certain questions and NOT getting a real answer, just a "never mind". That does not make the question go away, and they WILL find out from somebody!​

 

[cheri222]

I couldn't figure out why my son and his buddy were out watching the chickens the other day for so long (11 and 12 yo). Trying to get a video with the friends cell phone of the chickens........!! Not funny. I can see it now on you tube, piggybacking chickens with crazy mother screaming in the background. The cell phone is now banned from my house.

 

[DanceswLabs]

My ducks give demonstrations all day long!

I knew that my youngest daughter was getting it when I remarked that I hoped all of the duck eggs I had collected were fertile. She said, "Well, they ought to be."