My Love Affair With Ducks...

[Miss Lydia]

Mine are my geese. when I started with ducks in 2004 oh I wanted geese too, So my dh goes to the landfill and talks to someone working there and they have geese next thing I know my broody Muscovy is sitting on 1 goose egg. 28 days later we have a gosling, He was the cutest thing then he grew up lol got attitude and took on the roll of secret service gander to all the Muscovy who had ducklings. Oh he was the best papa goose you could ask for but boy did he pack a wallop when he bites. He thought everyone including me was out to kill and eat the ducklings and their mamas. So when he was 5 yrs old I went and got him a female goose. He had no idea he was a goose being raised and living with Muscovy so that took about 3 months and breeding season. He is now 14 and she is 9 they are so bonded it's beautiful to see but If I had to do it over again Nope I would not get geese. No way I could ever give them up, no one would put up with their ways, During July through dec they are okay and pretty mellow, but once breeding season starts They go to goose jail, they don't tolerate anyone. And they are way to tough to eat even in a slow cooker[just kidding ya'll I could never eat them] although I HAVE SURE THREATENED MANY TIMES.

 

[Mimi13]

I totally understand! I had to get rid of a pair of geese this year because the male was insane. Anyway, what breed of ducks did you have?

I had two Indian Runners, and one each of a White Layer, Buff and Welsh Harlequin. All were supposed to be girls, but one of the runners turned out to be a drake!

 

[Mimi13]

I would like to take this opportunity to say:

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[Mimi13]

at least you did it before you had to clean up dead chickens.

I would have died if that would have happened.

 

[Mimi13]

Mine are my geese. when I started with ducks in 2004 oh I wanted geese too, So my dh goes to the landfill and talks to someone working there and they have geese next thing I know my broody Muscovy is sitting on 1 goose egg. 28 days later we have a gosling, He was the cutest thing then he grew up lol got attitude and took on the roll of secret service gander to all the Muscovy who had ducklings. Oh he was the best papa goose you could ask for but boy did he pack a wallop when he bites. He thought everyone including me was out to kill and eat the ducklings and their mamas. So when he was 5 yrs old I went and got him a female goose. He had no idea he was a goose being raised and living with Muscovy so that took about 3 months and breeding season. He is now 14 and she is 9 they are so bonded it's beautiful to see but If I had to do it over again Nope I would not get geese. No way I could ever give them up, no one would put up with their ways, During July through dec they are okay and pretty mellow, but once breeding season starts They go to goose jail, they don't tolerate anyone. And they are way to tough to eat even in a slow cooker[just kidding ya'll I could never eat them] although I HAVE SURE THREATENED MANY TIMES.

I know exactly what you mean about not being able to give them up, especially after you’ve had them that long. There is no way I could get rid of my old chickens. They wouldn’t have the kind of life anywhere else that they have here. They do not know to be afraid of dogs or cats. They just mill about all the animals, even climb in the dog houses with the dogs and vice versa. The dogs will lay in the run with the chickens. If I ever thought I had to get rid of them I’d rather they would die than going to a place they don’t know. That’s selfish I guess…but.

At least the ducks were just a little over a year. They were in a safe environment here, with multiple pools of water, but I couldn’t give them a pond. Our ponds have big old snapping turtles that would have injured if not killed a non-flying duck. I know they’re in duckie heaven with a pond to dive and swim in.

 

[CeceliaD]

So this past Friday morning I did something some of you are gonna hate me for. I kinda have been contemplating this for a while, but 15 chicks in my spare bedroom convinced me.

I sold my ducks.

There, I said it. I’m sorry if you can’t read it, but it’s there - in gray. Part of me hates it and part of me doesn’t. I sold them to a teenage boy from Flat Rock, AL. He had several others and was so happy to get my “tame” ones. I sent him a message Saturday afternoon asking him how they did Friday night and Saturday morning and his reply was, “They are loving the pond!” That made me happy to hear because I know without a doubt they were loving it.

I feel like a dang hypocrite when I say ‘they weren’t what I expected.’ I mean, you don’t just get rid of an animal because it isn’t what you expected and I’ve never done that…before Friday, that is. I wanted sweet loving pets. I wanted all girls, not a charismatic, serial rapist. RalphieDux had started getting worse, much worse, and he absolutely would not leave Peaches alone (I think that’s why she began staying on the nest all the time.) And he mercilessly (and literally) chased my chickens all over the yard. He didn’t just run them off, he would run them down, and grab hold and not let go.

With all those troubles and the fact I made NO money from their eggs, they were 100% an expense and, at times, a true pain in the butt. I mean, at least my chickens put themselves to bed at a decent hour, but them, oh no, they were all night party animals. I would have to call them every night to go up. At least they came as soon as they heard me.

With all that being said, I do miss them. I miss the splashing and playing they did in their pool, the bulldozing they did through the yard with their bills buried underneath the surface of the grass, I miss seeing them all asleep under the shade of a tree, I miss seeing them run and waddle all in a line back and forth across the yard.

But in the end, they probably are happier now with a big old pond with no chickens to intrude on them and don’t miss me one bit, so I’ll call it even.

This little story almost brought me to tears because of how much I love my ducks. But I’m glad you sent them away for you and for them. They have a nice pond to swim around in now and you have a little bit of peace knowing your girls aren’t being harassed anymore. So good for you. This is a win-win

 

[Mimi13]

This little story almost brought me to tears because of how much I love my ducks. But I’m glad you sent them away for you and for them. They have a nice pond to swim around in now and you have a little bit of peace knowing your girls aren’t being harassed anymore. So good for you. This is a win-win

I know. This really was a bitter sweet move for me. I STILL look for them every day, but I know they are all together and happy.