Duck, Duck...Duck!

I'm pretty sure 3 of our 5 ducks are girls, and one of them I'm pretty sure is a boy. But this duck, I'm not sure about...

 
This is a Buff Orpington duck that I'm HOPING is a girl... I'll refer to it as a "she" until proven otherwise. She is in the middle of molting out her first set of feathers, and I'm seeing some darker brown (almost antique gold colored) feathers coming in. Such a pretty little thing... We have two ducks this color, and I think (90% sure) the other one is a male. He barely has a voice at all -- just a whisper of a quack.

 
This is also the duck with the not-so-perfect hip joint. She gets along pretty well, though not as swiftly as the others, but doesn't seem to be in any pain. We hope she continues to get along just fine! We are rather attached to her. She's not able to scratch her jaw on the right side with her foot, and just LOVES it when we scratch it for her. Her little leg twitches just like a dog's leg when you're rubbing a "good" spot. She is also the most tolerating of affection.

 
The ducks love to poke around in the soft soil of the chicken yard. And when I'm changing the water in their swimming pools, they take advantage of the extra water on the ground and create little mud pits for themselves to play in. Kind of looks like chocolate pudding, doesn't it! There's another photo of this duck on this post (freeze-frame a quack), and as you can see, the mud is a big hit with the ducks!

 
This is our fawn & white Indian Runner duck. 90% sure it's a female, and is just about the most comical thing on the farm (aside from Baaaaaad Boxcar Betty!)! She got a Y shaped stick caught on her leg yesterday, and oh my GOSH you would have thought the world was coming to an end! She was quite upset. Thankfully, she did an about-face turn, and the stick fell free. All was well.

 
We also have what was supposed to be a Khaki Campbell, but I believe is a Chocolate Runner who is also very comical. Here she is doing some gardening at the edge of the chicken yard. I now have river rock in this area to keep the ducks from making the soil along the edge of the fencing weak, or eroded. Now they make their mud holes in the center of the chicken yard, and everyone is happy -- including me. *grin*

It wasn't too long ago when the ducks were itty bitty little things, swimming in our bathtub! I can't believe how fast they grew!

I've been tossing around name ideas, but haven't settled on any just yet ... not sure what's taking me so long. But they've got to be right!

Comments

[AL Wight]

I think the one with the fuzzy top should be Phyllis Diller and that the chocolate colored one should be named something like Truffle

[Shellie Daniel]

Ducks fascinate me. I especially admire their bills. :) Yours are beauties.

[bonnie weiss]

Your duck photos just "quacked me up"! ... sorry, but I had to say that! All kidding aside, your ducks are just as stunning as all of the other creatures on your farm. They have a look in their eyes like they love to get into trouble.

[Gramma_Dar]

The one w/the crown should be named "Queen"...
Fun photo's.
Gramma Dar

[Janet Sisk]

How about Taffy and Daffy for two of them. Then there is Stella, Bella, Della, Fella, Ophella, Quella, Stuella, Truella, Cruella, and Yella(obviously for the part yellow ducks). LOL I have been working all day in the yard so I am definitely getting punchy. :D Have a great rest of the weekend!

[rose kerry]

Love your ducky stories. And I love the names you pick for them. They all sound like characters in a book. Your photography is fabulous. I never miss a chance to look at your blog. Thanks for all the stories.

[Cheryl R]

Thanks for that laugh of the day - the duck freaking out over a stick on her leg. Reminds me of my cats' antics with cardboard soup cups stuck on their heads. And they forget and do the same thing all over again the next time :)

[Debbie]

I love the ducks all of them but love that first one. she is so pretty and I am partial to her because of her hip. I hope she continues to do well! Thanks for sharing :)

[Harriet Hensley]

wonderful wonderful I don't blame them for loving the mud.... it is such a good facial after all..... LOL

[Alli Miles]

I must know, do you create an album, take photos of each and put their name below each photo or do you truly remember the name of EVERY single animal you have at the farm? I am always amazed at how you can list their names off. Granted I know you see them daily and that they are your extended family per se but I have been meaning to ask you that now for quite some time. Regardless, I think it is remarkable that each one has a unique name and that you can write about their personalities too. Oh and how do you name them? What makes you think of the names?
I too can't believe how much the ducks have grown up. They are so cute and Buff is gorgeous!!!

[Sharli]

Anna, Your ducklings certainly HAVE grown fast!! Amazing. I think it's really funny how they "play" in the mud! They are all beautiful - your photographs are just stunning - you do such nice work! I'm afraid most of the time I'm so excited about the subjects that I forget to tell you how much I love the quality of your work! Thank you for sharing your world with me (stuck here in the city/desert)!

Hugs!

[Carol Dee]

Another Delightful bunch of Ducky photos. Ahhhh Mud !!! Guess you will have to keepp the garden hose handy in dry spells to keep the puddles wet :) Have a fun summer. And keep the great snap shots of life on the farm coming. Have a relaxing weekend, hugs...

[DK Wight]

Oh, by the way, you're not thinking about letting the ducks into the big swimming pool are you? That would be a disaster like the time Mom had the wild cat in the furnace ducts! Bad Ju Ju........Love, Dad

[DK Wight]

Once apon a time when I was much much much younger Grandfather gave me a farmers "leson" on sexing fowl. I was just to freaked out to remember much about ducks, however after the molt and they get their adult plumage your drakes should have a lovely curly cue tail. You gotta have the barn yard "bible" tho. That book is loaded with the answers......Love, Dad