The Quack Shack

[Luv Ducks]

No way! - I have read about cross-pollination between different members of the Cucurbitaceae family, but that would impact the offspring (seeds) of that crossing, not the fruit of the current generation.
And those are genuine Butternut squash.
And i have no idea where they came from.

Could wild birds have dropped the seeds and they grew? I have netting over my duck pen but wild bird poop could still get in if they were doing a flyover. lol

 

[Canadian Wind]

Ground Cherries?! - Never heart that before. We had them back at my parents and called them lampion flowers. I didn't know that their fruits were edible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkekengi
Is it this plant you're referring to?
Now I am tempted to grow them here too as food source for the birds (ducks) and the bees...

No, those are a common ornamental sometimes called Chinese Lantern. The one I'm talking about is actually a native North American species. The one I have is either of these two species, I think. I'll know when the fruit is finally ripe, lol!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_heterophylla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_virginiana

It does tend to try to take over though through it's underground rhizomes, so maybe plant it in containers. As well, the plant itself is toxic, being part of the nightshade family but the fruit is fine just like tomatoes to which it's related.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

No, those are a common ornamental sometimes called Chinese Lantern. The one I'm talking about is actually a native North American species. The one I have is either of these two species, I think. I'll know when the fruit is finally ripe, lol!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_heterophylla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_virginiana

It does tend to try to take over though through it's underground rhizomes, so maybe plant it in containers. As well, the plant itself is toxic, being part of the nightshade family but the fruit is fine just like tomatoes to which it's related.

It does indeed look toxic

 

[Canadian Wind]

It does indeed look toxic

Like tomatoes and potatoes, it's the plant that is. They are all in the nightshade family.

That being said, my ducks destroyed the plants last year (ate them down to the roots!) and were fine.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

We trimmed wings tonight. Poor babies

 

[Luv Ducks]

We trimmed wings tonight. Poor babies

I am sure they would be happy if they knew it was to keep them safe. I just pinioned two that jumped in my cart at our Rural King and they are fine. I said I would not do that anymore and I guess I lied. I should be banned from the store for sure. One looks like a Rouen Duck and the other one another fawn and white Runner. They were all supposed to be Runner Ducks but I am not so sure about the one that looks like a Rouen. They are just so stinking cute!!! I have no self control when it comes to the babies.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

Jumped in hey? They seeked freedom!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Jumped in hey? They seeked freedom!

The bin was absolutely full of them and I told the clerk I was absolutely crazy to be doing it. He told me that no matter how long I had them they would feel the love and be a lot better off than stuck in that bin with all of the others. I told him I drove a school bus so then he understood my craziness, lol.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

So um.. this is how it's going

 

[Luv Ducks]

So um.. this is how it's goingView attachment 3602499

I am shocked it can get that high. Did you only do one wing. I made the mistake of doing both years ago when I had Muscovy ducks and they could still fly just fine as I did not unbalance them.