what is he doing?!

[hschisel]

so Ferdinand is definitely at the age now where he is... feisty! it's spring, he's almost a year, and he wants a girlfriend! since there aren't any females around, he has definitely been expressing himself and taking out his frustration other ways, like on the younger kids. one of the weird things he's been doing lately is..talking to the day lillies?? he will go outside and straight to the lillies that are coming up, and he gets super chatty and loud! he will look over them very carefully, and a lot of the times he will slowly make his way into them and just stand there! I thought maybe he was acting broody like he had eggs or something in there, but I have no idea. it's super bizarre! any ideas what the heck is up with him?! he is a weirdo anyways, but this is strange for even him!

 

[Isaac 0]

Are you sure he isn't just checking the lilies out? Mine will stick their faces in brush/grass and make their happy humming noises, looking for bugs/ect.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Just make sure he isn't eating them. Maybe get him some girls. I had a bantam named Ferdinand once. His girlfriend was M.E., pronounced Emmy and it stood for Mighty Eagle.

 

[hschisel]

Are you sure he isn't just checking the lilies out? Mine will stick their faces in brush/grass and make their happy humming noises, looking for bugs/ect.

initially we thought he was just curious, but it's definitely different than just checking it out. I wish a picture could show it better! he isn't even digging or rooting around eating bugs or grass etc. he pokes his head in, and will slowly edge his way in and just stand. all the while being LOUD! he is chatting like he's super excited or wound up, and looks around like he's protecting something. the only other time we've seen him do that and sound like that is with the hose that's all wound up messy on a sprinkler thing. it's like he's talking to it like a buddy

 

[hschisel]

Just make sure he isn't eating them. Maybe get him some girls. I had a bantam named Ferdinand once. His girlfriend was M.E., pronounced Emmy and it stood for Mighty Eagle.

haha I wish we could get him a girl right now so he would lay off biting the kids! with all this craziness going on, we have to hold off for a bit. plus, he's not much of a duck duck, but more like a spoiled brat human duck! he wouldn't make it one night as an outdoor duck! if we are going to have more than one, we will need to make some adjustments to our yard so they don't become wild animals snacks

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't see a drake feather. Of course my Runner drake doesn't have one either. But your positive Ferdinand is a drake?

 

[hschisel]

I don't see a drake feather. Of course my Runner drake doesn't have one either. But your positive Ferdinand is a drake?

oh yes I'm positive Ferdinand is a Ferdinand and not a Gertrude! you can't really see his drake feather in those two pictures, but you can see it pretty clearly in this one. even when/after he molts and it comes out, he grows another right back. I swear sometimes it seems like it's back overnight!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Typical drake behavior don't let him bite anyone keep the broom handy and push him away.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I use the dreaded snow shovel of death. I only have to show it to him.

 

[Isaac 0]

Plastic Bags for some reason scares the crap out of most ducks too.