My Love Affair With Ducks...

[Miss Lydia]

I like dux because they are really cool, they make me laugh and give me something to do in my retirement

 

[Mimi13]

Chickens bathe in dirt so naturally they are dustier than a duck from the git go. And they are constantly scratching, sending dirt/litter everywhere. But, strangely enough, my chickens do not have a smell to them. I can bury my face in their feathers and they do not stink, at all. Now there are a few of my girls that get nasty butt feathers that I have to keep cleaned. For whatever reason they do not squat down far enough for the poop to bypass the feathers below their vent.

Ducks bathe in water, clean or dirty, though they definitely prefer it clean. Because they constantly bathe...and play...and sleep...in the water they are not dusty and always appear clean. However, when I bury my face in their feathers they seem to have a slight smell, not a bad smell though. I‘ve wondered if it could be a smell from their oil glands? To my knowledge, ducks don’t get nasty booties like I’ve seen with chickens. I hope that remains the case, too!

 

[Mimi13]

The question should be “why does anyone like dux?”

Because, Ralphie, just because. They are so cute and always acting goofy.

When they get into a fresh pool of water, one of them will start getting a little wild, swimming underwater like a bullet, then two, then three, etc., balls to the wall, and then all of a sudden the pool is one huge splashing wave, until...until...they all exit the pool in one mad exodus. It’s like a boogeyman came up from underneath and scared them out.

The runners just make me smile/laugh watching them walk. (And to think, I wasn’t even considering getting that breed.) When Latte walks toward me, she appears as though she has her hands clasped behind her back. It may be partly because of her thin, upright stance or maybe her coloring, IDK, but it’s so funny.

Oh, I just thought of exactly what she looks like to me: when you watch speed skaters skating, (like in the Winter Olympics) at times they will put their hands and arms behind them when they’re coasting and slightly lean forward. That’s exactly what Latte looks like to me.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Ralphies a turkey guy!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

@WannaBeHillBilly , your wife is wise. Chickens are nasty. Any more Duck cam broody videos tonight?

For now brooding is a rather boring business, she is sitting on her nest almost the whole time, comes out only once or twice daily to terrorize everybody. With her retracted head and her thin legs, she looks like a flipper ball bouncing around...
Here is a picture from the duck house:

Can you even spot her? - And a three hour video might not show any movement until i walk in and collect the eggs…

 

[Neggative]

duxs are just sooooo much fun to watch!!!

 

[Mimi13]

Ralphies a turkey guy!

Ralphie is a turkey.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Chickens bathe in dirt so naturally they are dustier than a duck from the git go. And they are constantly scratching, sending dirt/litter everywhere. But, strangely enough, my chickens do not have a smell to them. I can bury my face in their feathers and they do not stink, at all. Now there are a few of my girls that get nasty butt feathers that I have to keep cleaned. For whatever reason they do not squat down far enough for the poop to bypass the feathers below their vent.

Ducks bathe in water, clean or dirty, though they definitely prefer it clean. Because they constantly bathe...and play...and sleep...in the water they are not dusty and always appear clean. However, when I bury my face in their feathers they seem to have a slight smell, not a bad smell though. I‘ve wondered if it could be a smell from their oil glands? To my knowledge, ducks don’t get nasty booties like I’ve seen with chickens. I hope that remains the case, too!

It i the duck's preening oil that causes the typical "duck smell". As with most smells, some like it some hate it…
I have learned that ducks are some of the cleanest animals there are, like cats they clean themselves multiple times a day and as much as they can, preening their feathers one by one. They're not afraid of getting dirty, i mean really dirty:

But soon after their mud business was done, both ducks hit the tub (pond) and the shower (rain) and looked pristine white again.

 

[Mimi13]

It i the duck's preening oil that causes the typical "duck smell". As with most smells, some like it some hate it…
I have learned that ducks are some of the cleanest animals there are, like cats the clean themselves as much as they can, preening their feathers one by one. They're not afraid of getting dirty, i mean really dirty:

But soon after their mud business was done, both duck hit the tub (pond) and the shower (rain) and looked pristine white again.

Well that is good to know the origin of the ‘smell’. Although I do not find it offensive in any way, it was a new odor to me. It would never make me not love a duck!

 

[gratton16]

We have about 4 week old Pekins that are starting to outgrow the tub I have them in. Our pen is being custom made and prob won’t be ready till June. Any ideas of what I can move them too in the interim? Such a mess lol. But we love them dearly and they are my daughters babies for sure!!!