Duck Duck gets a Roommate

Well, we finally did it. We got another duck. Our duck is about to be 20 weeks old...so we should have gotten one a long time ago. But a combination of factors kept us from doing it.

• I honestly wasn't sure our duck was going to survive. If you remember, we had a sad month where we lost three ducks and two chickens. The cynic in me was convinced this duck was also not long for this world. The last thing I wanted to do was get another replacement duck only to lose this one and be stuck with a single again. Of course, that was three months ago.
• We went to order another duckling from the hatchery online and were confronted with $20 shipping and a 4 duck minimum. Not an option.
• I found some ads on craigslist, but no one could confirm male or female gender for me. Having a bunch of drakes running around is not my idea of productive. The only way I was able to convince the handsome man to get ducks in the first place was to sell him on the decadence of duck eggs in brownies.
• I'm still fostering some Lady Macbeth guilt around the loss of our previous ducks.

I really do love our duck. Even though he has no name and I'm still convinced he's going to die, he's one of my favorite creatures on this farm. He has personality plus. Maybe because he's an only duck. Or maybe because his best friend in the whole world is an overly talkative Nana goat. I'm not sure why, but he really is a character.

But you see, Duck is not allowed to free range the way the chickens do because he has absolutely no eagle awareness. Our chickens have all learned from the death of their comrades and are now so eagle wise that they scatter immediately at any sight or sound of Gargamel. Duck on the other hand simply cocks his little head and squints his little eyeball up at the sky, to get a closer look. So, he spends a lot of time by himself under cover, still in a big enough pen, but not able to hang out with anyone (unless they come visit him, which they often do).  I want the best for him and in my mind this includes having a friend to share his scrambled eggs with, float around in the water with and snuggle up with at night (the way only two ducks can do).

As luck would have it, while browsing craigslist for hay, I came across a woman claiming she had Pekin ducklings that she could sex! Bonus, only $5! Yes Please!

Long story short. We have a new duck. She is definitely a she and Mama Taylor is definitely smitten with that teeny tiny duck bill. And Duck Duck as I like to call him, is very interested. It is a good day.