The Old Folks Home

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Quote: <<<pulls out GIANT roll of ducttape.......... "I has ducttape...and I know how to use it ....."

 

[bamadude]

Fyi. I have a wheelchair, cane, and a walker too. I was in an industrial accident in 2009. Just able to finally walk on my own again this year. Had like 20 surgeries

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Sorry to hear it bama. When I worked healthcare....and 3 yrs in a physical therapy dept at a hospital, the physical therapist as well as the occupational therapists said that orthopedic injuries will most always cause problems to the patient in their future years. Arthritis, pain, etc....
Hopefully, whatever you are able to keep in motion, Range of Motion, will help you through the years.

 

[bamadude]

I cant really complain. While going through phys therapy i met alot of people who have it alot worse. The accident has brought me closer to my family, friends, and God. Also helped me realize the things that i enjoy the most ( growing veggies, chickens, fishing, hunting, brewing beer).

 

[CanuckBock]

They are so cute though....

Hmm, time to DISable the enablers, eh? Before it is too late.

Right now, we are all safe up here in the Great White North...safe not sorry!

NO, no hatching of waterfowls, not yet--any photos with GREEN are not now...WHITE here (oh the after affects of SNOW blindness, but I digress from my reasons to post) ...the Geese, the Appleyards, Dutch Hookbills, the Crested and ALL the bantam ducks (Indies, Oz Spotted, and Calls...oh the Calls are calling, "YOU WHO have the ultimate CONTROL--or lack there of!

) are laying up a storm of mega EGGS! A STORM of eggs that are freezing at our last night temp of -20C/-4F (I know...what? again? They say, "March; in like a lion, out like a lamb"...not lions & lions and yet more LIONS--someone is LIEing right sure of that!)

A nice scene, eh...an very nice scene until...I tell you! The story to unfold is painful to tell...delightful to witness but absolutely dangerous to READ if you do not heed the warning signs. Signs of immanent addiction, a trap, a snare...dangerous!

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They look so innocent, so non-LIFE STYLE threatening and that my Dears is going to be YOUR undoing downfall. Never happens "just over night" either...I have been at this darn near half a century and no you don't get stronger...like old cheese...you get WEAKER like a rubber band that has been pluck strummed one too many times on a mock makeshift guitar. You fall victim to the gaze, the steady eye contact...the FORCE that is cutester...the steady stare of "We know you WANNA!" and I am here now to warn you...don't give in, don't look them in the...STOP...don't do it...don't l00k them in the....

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Dang it all! You didn't did you? Did you look, did you LOOK them in the EYE (oh my eye, I cry for you)
Misery loves company!

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You are done for now...these little Ancona patterned Call ducks (a blue one and a black one) have the massive powerful force of the DUCK-DUCK EYE (more powerful than witch's brew eye of newt!). Look at even the TOES of the Black! Them are surely webbers lovenly marked by the Creator (not me...oh no, I make no claim to fame for how cute they be!). Even the tiny webber toes are carefully painted up to entice even the strongest stone of hearts to utter the inevitable...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ​

Never EVER make eye contact...never look that tea candled sized webber in the eyes!

Avert thine eyes...cover your eyes...do not gaze upon the ducks, no looking ducklings in the EYES....​

Blue Fawns, Greys, Pieds, Blue Bibbed, even the mighty Chocolate Calls!
Why yes, there is a chocolate even better than the eating coco kinds!

All will be lost for you...next thing, you will find yourself enslaven...ball and chained to a four letter occupation (WORK--even if you are retired you will find yourself at a part time job once again) to pay for your wrong doings, your weaknesses, your inability to simply say NO!

Time for the stand up confessions of a <<sigh>> duckaholic, addicted to quack....

"Heel low thar, my name is Tara and I am a duckaholic..." <<<head hangs in shame>>>

There is no cure past....past feeding the beast...making more of the same and admitting you cannot fight it. No hope once you take the plunge, no cure past adding even more ducks...hair of the dog, yes, that is the only solution.


I have three words for any of you thinking about ducks...very simple advice from an addict and not ever gonna be a recovering one I fear...never not an addict!

FTD...​

as in FEAR THE DUCK! Words from the wise (or really stupid to have weakened to it...remember, you don't have to LEAVE eggs in their quarters...you can STOP this...collect yer eggs up & not to incubate but to...STOP the plague of FTD!)


Here's what I mean...and I'll use my Mandarins as an example.

As we have aged, Rick and I have begun to focus more on the easier to maintain and manage poultry. The wild kinds such as the Australian Black Swans, the Ruddy Shels, and the Mandarins! Not in your face like the flirty ducks of Mallard descent like the Call ducks, but those breeds of waterfowl that prefer not to be messed with. The WILD ones! Bit of TLC and they are very much good to go...all on their lone. They don't desire your attentions, time and observations (though we still love to look at their prettiness!). quite happy with minimal care and thrive well.

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Mandarins are nice ducks, not domestic, a wild duck; we keep these wild type ducks captive. So pretty these ducks...eye candy. So pretty and yet, so utterly manipulative--they grow on you (like moss might if one ever stops moving along) ...here we go on the journey of self discovery...if my words and photos can save a life from the lifetime of toil and servitude...my work here will not go unrewarded.

Starts out innocent enough...about middle of May (also when the real wild migrating Wood Ducks in our area begin also!), I note the captive wild Mandarin hens start visiting the nest boxes...



See the Mandarin hen above, in the far nest box entrance hole; she's been in, laying her clutch of Mandarin eggs.

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It gets serious when they tear out chest down and cover the growing pile up of eggs after they leave...of this clutch, she laid nine eggs. I candled them and five had chilled & were clears--1st timer hen. So she hatched the four (cover thine eyes--no eye contact with the FTDuckling monsters...like Medusa--maybe best use a mirror to read this post!).

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The young hen, she began laying too early (she did better the next year, began later plus I left dummy eggs in and took the beginnings of the clutch OUT to hold where they would not freeze--me learning too!) and hatched out seven!

Mandarin ducklings are tiny, they are fast, they are ever so cute too.



And they grow! All you gotta do is blink and nothing beats the growth rate and speed of ducks ... fast and efficient...



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For in the wild, these tree ducklings would be hatching beginning of June and able to fly and migrate come September--not a lot of time, eh?

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Time to get big and be on their way...or not...for if you have a Hero like my Rick...he will build you the Taj Mahal...

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The ultimate building to house the wild Mandy ones...and then...yes then...

Them ducklings will become DUCKS that can fly and when you go inside to do chores, they will fly up, and up and up and look DOWN upon you...you who are a mere servant slave to the FTD wonderous ones.

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Taunt you and laugh...laugh hearty with their good digs, and foods, and dabbling pools...you who be the "room service" and never get any tip past everyone is a critic for your troubles and efforts.

Them Mandarins will shout out to you...

"Have you not left for work yet? What's the hold up...are you TIRED? Phht...phht!" <with a head shake or three>...

"Get up and hurry along now--dunna wanna be late for your important date!"





Can you hear the whistling (Mandarins don't quack) LAUGHTERS of the ever so UNgratefuls standing POOL side?
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So let MY lessons be YOUR lessons...this April Fool's Day of 2014.

Anyone not heeding the warning...FTD...well you are no stronger or weaker than I...FTD...and I am not just contemplating sending you all "dead flowers" either.

Quote:
(lyrics written by The Stones...I like the version sung by Steve Earle).

So be careful of the powerful forces of the FTD....

Given a few years of addiction and the once nice green lawns of the bird yards become...Major Pillow Fights - was molting season when I took this pic. Molting season and ongoing PEN cleaning. Rick helps me out with the pillow fight residues...he swings by when the duckers are back in their barns and mows up the feathers...I vamoose outta his way or we could label the occurrence TARa and Feathered...I'll be having none of that thanks.

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And yes, that is the wee widdle super duck hen PUDGIE on the far left bottom corner. Hatched out with non-hurting cataracts (she had peripheral vision...could not see straight ahead but would move her head up and down for a full view) because of her colour (White duck feathers, not recessive white like most ducks c/c but Patterned White...excessively patterned white). She was my SUPER duck because she tolerated the young duck hatchlings. All the other hens would tie a licking on those young whipper snapper ducklings that were ready to be out and about outside after brooding...but not the Pudger Gal. She tolerated them and comforted them, her calmness and steadiness gave the young ducklings confidence and contentment. She was wonderful!

You just never know now do you, when you choose to help something a bit different, a tad disabled. Never know the true value of investing in something how it is going to turn out. Pudgy was worth her weight in gold for mothering up to the duck babies. She's gone now, miss her terribly but, new hatching season approaches and you just never know if I will once again be honoured to have a partially blind duck enter my life to make it fuller and happier for my birds.

And here are just a few more pics before I am done for lunch time...

Recall I do NOT practise lockdown, for Call Ducks...here you go in vivid examples.

Aus Spot Duckling in center on left, Call Duckling on right. Note shape differences!
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Australian Spotted Ducks are about the size of Mallards (Mother Nature's perfect duck) and have the same build and shape...they bust outta eggers no issue.

Exhibition Call Ducks on the other hand are literal physical messes when it comes to "busting outta eggs." Short necks, wide bills...egg busting impeded.

First photo, left is Call Duck, right is Aussie Spot / Second photo; Oz Spot at top, Call at bottom.

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Why no lockdown...well lookit this...yeh, there is a webbed foot on the top left, a bill under that and a wing (a wing ding) poking out waving on the right. There is no less spunk and vigour, perhaps MORE in a Call but yeh really...does this kid need some help or should I have been in "lockdown" mode and left it to die? Dunno about you guys but them young kids are always getting themselves into predicaments us old timers need to be on guard duty; ready to save them from...themselves!

As a caretaker to critters, I figured I signed on to manage and be there for the flocks, bevies, gaggles and such. I am there to assist where and when as needed...not look in and watch them die because, they got a little over enthusiastic and zigged when they mighta shoulda zagged.

Pretty cute now that this little Blue Bibbed has been released from its prison shell?
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There, I'm done my torment of enabling, disabling, plus eye poking fun stuff.

Done before NOON on April 1st...keep in mind y'all...there ain't no fool like an old fool and I embrace this concept...gladly having fun, frolicking foolish FUN stuff for as long as I am blessed to be allowed to taunt and torment the other occupants of this planet!

Bwa ha hah...and a WAH WAH WAH--FTD! Heed the confessions of a weak person...or joint the solitary servitude to the wicked forces of the FTD bevies!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

Take a bow...!!.....Tara Lee Higgins!!! That was quite the post!!!!

 

[chickadoodles]

Take a bow...!!.....Tara Lee Higgins!!! That was quite the post!!!!

X2

 

[Barbiejo]

I sympathize with you Bamadude,car accident when I was 20 has left me with many aches and pains from good old arthritis from my injuries. But I also count myself lucky 2 people are paralyzed f in the other car from the whole mess. But I digress the making of the beer caught my eye sounds yummy!

 

[bamadude]

Check out byc new sponsored study thread. I wish i could copy and paste the link but im pretty dumb

 

[CanuckBock]

Check out byc new sponsored study thread. I wish i could copy and paste the link but im pretty dumb

It is officially after NOON here, so must tread careful here...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ken-broodiness-by-up-to-48-with-aluminum-foil

Old news...

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The new and improved version is for the HUMAN to don the tinfoil! The more camouflaged you appear to be, the less disturbing you will be to the broodies.

The only downfall in the progression of this theory is the continued use of "tinfoil" is rumoured to accentuate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease...so Rick always has to remind me to don mine...especially during lightening storms! Life insured and the place is not completely paid off yet...not quite yet...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap!​

Gotta go...

Tara