r/duck

Mr. Waddles keeps a close eye on me

The one with her leggy out is Buttercup. She is around 3 months old

Yesterday we took a trip to a farm store for fence materials and found some poultry hats while we were there. We tried them out on our three tamest ducks today, with mixed results. Maple and Ramona didn't mind but Fenna wasn't a fan.

They come with chinstraps but nobody would wear them that way. A little bit of weak double-sided tape was acceptable, though.

I’m treating Rosie’s bumble foot

White one is buttercup. Light brown is mocha. It’s cure how Mocha has been staying close to Buttercup ever since she was a baby. I have photos and videos from when buttercup was even younger but I couldn’t find them :)

Past couple years I’ve been putting boxes around my backyard. Currently 6 and counting. Love these birds and the happiness they give me.

This is one of my hens, Mocha.

He's very polite

I lost my Dewey today. A fox got into our duck hut (I better find the hole in my fencing). Dewey went in the hut to protect the ducklings. They are safe, but he lost his life. He gave our friend, who is at the farm while we work, enough time to shoot the fox.

I know I am VERY lucky I only lost 1 of my 13 ducks. But, I am ashamed to say, he was my favorite drake. But Huey did protect Louise. He and Louise were safe in the main barn. So, he too is a hero.

This duck has been hanging out with a group of mallard ducks but does not fit in. Upstate NY

Everyone is starting to get along ♡ Oswald is still unsure of me but that's ok, we'll take it slow. He's been staying with the girls and they have a solid recall so I'm confident letting him out. He and rooster were totally cool with each other all day. Welcome home buddy ♡

They grow up so fast!

One of our girls actually had a brooding instinct, and after a month of protecting this egg, broody Speckles hatched Raine who is currently 4 days old. She says do not touch, and will become huffy and puffy if we so much as look at her baby.

I lost two of my three innocent Welshies to a scruffy bobcat in the middle of the day! I caught the bastard in the act and was able to save one of my little friends, but he had already killed my girl and mortally wounded one of the boys.

I’ve had bobcats and raccoons visit at night and my ducks were always secure, but this desperate predator came in the middle of the day and cornered them in their kennel. They were always secured after dark and allowed to forage in the backyard during the day.

The bastard kept coming back all afternoon until I got it with a direct hit of pepper gel spray. When I brought the poor casualties to the humane society, who accept dead animals, I offended them by saying I regretted not being able to bring them a dead bobcat as well. Too bad, it’s how a felt and still feel about it!

My remaining friend has been staying inside the house the last couple of days with supervised foraging (thanks to kids home for the summer) during the day. I’ve shored up the kennel just in case, and I guess from now on, foraging will only be a supervised activity.