My new ducks

[Kleonaptra]

I have been waiting to go to the bird auctions all year. Finally got there yesterday and in hundreds of fowl there was one call duck. ONE.

And I got her!


So now I have FIVE call ducks, Im not sure if her babies are purebred calls or not but I will soon find out.

Ive got a little story to tell about this next duck. I had never intended to buy a moscovy...I must have walked past this duck a dozen times, but for some reason just before the auction started I leaned down to look at her and she trilled and smooched me...Like a cat! I decided I had to have this duck. No way was I going to let her go for meat. I noticed another young girl talking to her and patting her and thought I might have some competition in the betting. It turns out, the other young lady was her owner, who just moved to the city and couldnt keep her anymore, and was there to make sure she didnt go for meat. They were lucky I was there.


I have named her Regina...I have never owned a duck like this. My drake is friendly to me but this...She begs for pats and smooches like a cat. She follows me around trilling. She will not leave the laundry door and when I go in, she makes a beeline for the washing machine. I think she used to live in the laundry. She is not impressed with the layer mix, although she finally ate some last night because she was in with the calls and the ducklings were making pigs of themselves.


I have no idea what they used to feed her but she is so very posh and spoiled!

 

[Amiga]

May she continue to be spoiled!

 

[Kleonaptra]

I have no idea what to do with her! My big girls have gotten used to her and dont attack her, I bought her a little pond to use because she wont leave the garden by the laundry door. Yesterday the big girls muscled in and stole it and she was most distressed! She demands crystal clean water. She's eating the layer mix now...But not when Im looking! If Im outside she looks at it forlornly and trills at me like this is not possibly edible!

If I dont sit down and give her pats and cuddles, she runs in little circles flapping with her head feathers up high. She taps her beak on the laundry door demanding to go back in. Ive let her go in with the calls at night but once they go out to the big shed at night, she will have to as well! The calls are living in the laundry for now, Im thinking of building a small pen for them to go outside but Im worried about crows taking the ducklings. They seem quite happy in the laundry for now.

One of the call ducklings is most certainly a drake. Look out Wist! Competitions coming!

Wist is very interested in Regina...He hasnt had a chance to see the new call female. His favourite Varia wont let him get too close, she's super jealous, but he gets closer every day, enchanted by this new lady!

 

[Amiga]

The two of you need to work out your relationship. She was clearly a duck who received much human companionship. It will be an adjustment for both of you. I pray you will be given strength and empathy and compassion.

 

[Kleonaptra]

I stop and give her pats every time I walk by. She helped with the washing, tried to pull it out of the basket! She seems to like hanging out with the other girls now but wont follow them, they range all over the yard, she wont leave her little space by the garden. Im really happy she's hanging out with the others, no trouble.

One weird thing - my drake often turns around in circles like he's chasing his tail. I thought it might be sexual behaviour or just him being funny. This afternoon, Regina started doing it, then turned around and mounted my leg! Could she be a drake or is this just an extreme expression of duck love? My drake was hand reared too but after he got older he wasnt into pats or cuddles. He sits with me and nibbles my hand, doesnt mind if I have to pick him up to clip his wing but he tells me he'd rather not. He still turns about like a little dervish, especially when he's excited. Is this a normal duck thing?

 

[Amiga]

I stop and give her pats every time I walk by. She helped with the washing, tried to pull it out of the basket! She seems to like hanging out with the other girls now but wont follow them, they range all over the yard, she wont leave her little space by the garden. Im really happy she's hanging out with the others, no trouble.

One weird thing - my drake often turns around in circles like he's chasing his tail. I thought it might be sexual behaviour or just him being funny. This afternoon, Regina started doing it, then turned around and mounted my leg! Could she be a drake or is this just an extreme expression of duck love? My drake was hand reared too but after he got older he wasnt into pats or cuddles. He sits with me and nibbles my hand, doesnt mind if I have to pick him up to clip his wing but he tells me he'd rather not. He still turns about like a little dervish, especially when he's excited. Is this a normal duck thing?

Muscovies have their own set of behaviors. I think it is a normal Muscovy thing, though, based on what I have read here.

 

[Kleonaptra]

My drake is pacific black, thats him in my avatar pic with the buff face and black mask. We thought he was just weird, we had never seen a duck to the twirly whirly thing...She only did it that once.

Regina is now venturing a short way from the garden to fossik with Syanne. She really holds her own with the others and doesnt take their crap. She knows cats very well too and nips them if they look at her for too long. My cats are a bit jealous of all the pats she recieves!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My drake is pacific black, thats him in my avatar pic with the buff face and black mask. We thought he was just weird, we had never seen a duck to the twirly whirly thing...She only did it that once.

Regina is now venturing a short way from the garden to fossik with Syanne. She really holds her own with the others and doesnt take their crap. She knows cats very well too and nips them if they look at her for too long. My cats are a bit jealous of all the pats she recieves!

Regina is a beautiful duck I am so glad you took her home. I love my Scovy's

 

[Kleonaptra]

Thanks Miss Lydia, I love her to bits! She so gorgeous with her trills and head bobs. She is the PERFECT tonic for my 2yr old daughter...She likes to chase them and we have ferocious arguments about it. Well yesterday she went to start chasing and Regina came at her head bobbing. She nibbles with her beak but doesnt bite, I know ducks can bite really hard if they want to, but Regina doesnt. Well all it took was a bit of head bobbing and attempts at nibbling and my daughter was stumped! A duck that chases her! Its absolute gold! Today she went for the chase and Regina went after her at flat run, going in circles and flapping her wings, "Hey! Dont you chase my friends! Thats not nice!" and Kassi had to give up. I love it!

 

[Trefoil]

You are discovering why covies are so popular with their owners. Does she wag her tail too?