Very worried

[veronicasmom]

Thank you. I do know logically that it is no my fault and there was nothing I could have done. But emotionally I will continue to beat myself up for a while. I just do that. I really does help to have others on here that understand though and I thank you all for your kind words. They are comforting.

 

[veronicasmom]

My poor drake is a bit frantic this morning. He is looking for her. He is keeping his flock bunched up together and then is very frantically running around looking for Veronica. At one point he was standing in one spot turning circles looking for her. Breaks my heart. I know he will stop soon and thankfully he has all the others to keep him occupied. But he definitely knows she is gone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My poor drake is a bit frantic this morning. He is looking for her. He is keeping his flock bunched up together and then is very frantically running around looking for Veronica. At one point he was standing in one spot turning circles looking for her. Breaks my heart. I know he will stop soon and thankfully he has all the others to keep him occupied. But he definitely knows she is gone.

I read in something[ I read too much and can never recall where] but it said to never kill a duck or goose around the rest of your flock because they are super sensitive to things like this. I know we wouldn't do something like that but it just goes to show how close a bond they make with each other. Bless his heart.

 

[nickie]

My poor drake is a bit frantic this morning.  He is looking for her.  He is keeping his flock bunched up together and then is very frantically running around looking for Veronica.  At one point he was standing in one spot turning circles looking for her.  Breaks my heart.  I know he will stop soon and thankfully he has all the others to keep him occupied.  But he definitely knows she is gone. 

I havent talked about how I lost Fred... Only my family knows the horrid details, but I will tell you guys now. This is hard for me because I still see it vividly in my mind.

We added 2 ducks to our original 2 (Sketchy and Fred). Sketchy hated the new ducks, but Fred loved them and welcomed them so she fallowed the drake around. Sketchy only liked Fred but stayed close with the others to protect Fred since she had a bum leg and was a bit slow. Rocky (the new drake) led the girls out... Not just out, across the street. I saw them and went over to gather them up and escort them across and back to their area. The two new ones were behing me, sketchy and Fred were crossing. I was in the road. Someone was coming down the road, fast. I stepped back and waved... The person kept coming and swerved to rum my Fred over. They drove over the double yellow to hit her intentionally. And kept hoof. I saw it, my 4 year old son saw it and sketchy saw it. Sketch spent the rest of that day breaking out and running to the road quacking and honking frantically for Fred. She didn't eat for days, she wouldn't swim. She would lay next to her pond. After about a week she got back to her normal self but she now likes the 2 new ducks. I worried about her and my husband worried too. So it takes a while but they do move on.

BTW, sketch is the houdini of ducks, she can break out of anything and everything. Rocky taught her...

 

[veronicasmom]

He keeps running to all the places she normally sat. Then he will come up to me and quack at me. It is heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. I am learning to appreciate him more and more as our flock grew. He is a very good drake and takes his job very seriously. And from what I read on here, he is well behaved most of the time too. It is just so sad to see him looking all over for her knowing he will not find her. If I had not had the necropsy done I would let him see her body. But she is too cut up and I can't. When we had our horses euthanized I let the other ones come up and watch and then visit the bodies after. It was very moving, watching them say goodbye. I will never forget it, and it helped them deal with the loss. I just wish I could do the same for Virgil. I know he will be okay in a day or so.
Nickie, such a terrible story. I cannot imagine going through that. Don't understand people that would do that. I would have to convince myself that karma will get them eventually. If you are that evil, then you will pay for it somehow. They will get what they deserve.

 

[nickie]

He keeps running to all the places she normally sat.  Then he will come up to me and quack at me.  It is heartbreaking and amazing at the same time.  I am learning to appreciate him more and more as our flock grew.  He is a very good drake and takes his job very seriously.   And from what I read on here, he is well behaved most of the time too.  It is just so sad to see him looking all over for her knowing he will not find her.  If I had not had the necropsy done I would let him see her body.  But she is too cut up and I can't.  When we had our horses euthanized I let the other ones come up and watch and then visit the bodies after.  It was very moving, watching them say goodbye.  I will never forget it, and it helped them deal with  the loss.  I just wish I could do the same for Virgil.  I know he will be okay in a day or so.
Nickie, such a terrible story.  I cannot imagine going through that.  Don't understand people that would do that.  I would have to convince myself that karma will get them eventually.  If you are that evil, then you will pay for it somehow.  They will get what they deserve.

 

I decided to share what happened with you to let you know that he will be ok and he will eventually move on, but he may need a bit of time. I think Sketchy needed time to grieve however ducks grieve (those 2 had eachother for 3 years, chickens didn't count to them, and Sketch was always protective of Fred. I think she felt lost).

 

[veronicasmom]

Thank you. I know he will come to terms with the fact that she is gone much sooner than I will. But eventually I will too. I have been through it many times with many different animals. This one just came out of the blue and I didn't really get to prepare mentally for the loss. Since the large majority of our 21 animals are rescues (all but two actually), I am looking at this as the fact that even though I lost her, her passing will allow another duck to get out of the shelter and come here to live. Never a replacement for her, but just making the loss of her slightly more bearable because another duck will get a chance to be loved and spoiled.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. I know he will come to terms with the fact that she is gone much sooner than I will. But eventually I will too. I have been through it many times with many different animals. This one just came out of the blue and I didn't really get to prepare mentally for the loss. Since the large majority of our 21 animals are rescues (all but two actually), I am looking at this as the fact that even though I lost her, her passing will allow another duck to get out of the shelter and come here to live. Never a replacement for her, but just making the loss of her slightly more bearable because another duck will get a chance to be loved and spoiled.

I couldn't agree with you more. theres always another one needing love and a good home.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I havent talked about how I lost Fred... Only my family knows the horrid details, but I will tell you guys now. This is hard for me because I still see it vividly in my mind.
We added 2 ducks to our original 2 (Sketchy and Fred). Sketchy hated the new ducks, but Fred loved them and welcomed them so she fallowed the drake around. Sketchy only liked Fred but stayed close with the others to protect Fred since she had a bum leg and was a bit slow. Rocky (the new drake) led the girls out... Not just out, across the street. I saw them and went over to gather them up and escort them across and back to their area. The two new ones were behing me, sketchy and Fred were crossing. I was in the road. Someone was coming down the road, fast. I stepped back and waved... The person kept coming and swerved to rum my Fred over. They drove over the double yellow to hit her intentionally. And kept hoof. I saw it, my 4 year old son saw it and sketchy saw it. Sketch spent the rest of that day breaking out and running to the road quacking and honking frantically for Fred. She didn't eat for days, she wouldn't swim. She would lay next to her pond. After about a week she got back to her normal self but she now likes the 2 new ducks. I worried about her and my husband worried too. So it takes a while but they do move on.
BTW, sketch is the houdini of ducks, she can break out of anything and everything. Rocky taught her...

I can't imagine how devastating that was for you and your 4yr old to see. This world is full of evil people but thank goodness There are more of us than them. Thanks for sharing your story..