The thing about ducks...

[clucknpeck]

I just didn't expect to love them. When my husband agreed to the 25 chickens I currently have, and the 5 ducks I have, he said I could have my eggs but he also wanted fresh meat. So all the males, ducks and chickens were to be ate, except maybe 1 or 2 lucky roosters. I'm still ok with eating the roosters. I love my chickens, they all have names and I can tell you about each one, but they have their own little world that makes them still look like livestock to me. But ducks...
We watched them swimming in the sink tonight and I said, "I just don't know if I can eat them." As I said this the blue swedish tilted his head and used on eye to look right into my eyes with that "are you talking about me?" look that I am sure you guys know. And you know what my husband says? "Let's not eat any of them. In fact, let's get lots of ducklings!"
I look at him pleased and surprised and say, "Well I think 5 is more than plenty... 5 will be a big mess... and what if they are all males? We will have to build them their own run if we have males."
"That's ok. I really like them. I actually always wanted a duck growing up." He says to me without missing a beat.

So here I am. Changing the brooder every night. Giving them supervised baths. I should hate how much work they are and how insanely messy they are. But I don't. They are just 2 weeks old. Still adorable fluff balls, though no longer so small. Maybe our minds will change as they grow but as of now it looks like we have pet ducks, not just working animals. 5 of them. Darn ducks!

 

[creekside2012]

Oh my gosh, do I know what you are talking about. I have 3 ducklings that are 14 days old today. I originally thought that they would be a variety when it came to meat and eggs. So I ordered Welsh Harlequins because they seemed to be productive layers, were rare, and I heard great things about the meat.

Tonight I was giving them a little time to play in the kitchen sink. They have this way of tilting their head to watch me, with their cute third eyelid blinking. They watch me when I do things and will walk around their cage following me when I go by.

I have now fallen in love with them and there is no way I am going to eat them. I even want to get more WH to try to help re-establish the breed. Even though I know meat creates demand for the breed, which is good, I personally am not going to be able to eat them.

I also do the supervised baths, changing them constantly, and not really enjoying the smell all that much now that they have increased the size and frequency of their droppings. Yet, I am enjoying them way too much and they make me laugh, so I do not mind the work. Like you, I wonder if that will all change when they get older. But in the meantime I have snuck 3 runners into my husband's chick order. He loves the runners and I have realized that I just love ducks.

Now if your husband could talk to my husband that would be great.

But maybe the runners will do it for him...

 

[clucknpeck]

hahahaha I love that you snuck in more ducklings! I also love that I am not imagining the tilted head, one eyed look.

 

[creekside2012]

Nope, you are not alone. I can also tell they are starting to trust me and they seem so interested in what I am doing now. I love watching their minds work.

 

[LindaJean]

My first venture into ducks - and I too am smitten - they are just over a month old now and how they have changed!!

 

[billw]

Watching what too many drakes do to too few ducks makes it a lot easier carry them off to the chopping block.