Ducks

Okay, so I adopted two baby ducks shortly after Easter. Typical of the season, someone bought them for their kids to enjoy on Easter morning but three days later were tired of them. They dumped them at a vet clinic and the vet clinic called me.

They are Peking ducks - my favorite kind, but also a kind that is hard pressed to survive up here. They were bred strictly for meat and they have been striped of any ability to survive int he wild. They are bright white (so much so that they almost glow int he dark), they can't fly and they walk slowly, they grow so easily and quickly that their body often becomes too much for their legs and if they live to their full growth, they are likely to have crippled legs. But I really like these ducks, so I took them in and decided to give them a try at a life.

I raised them in the house in a crate in the living room. Once they got old enough I would draw them a bath every evening and let them swim around in the tub for a while. And three times per day I made them big bowls of salad and fresh vegetables, all soaked in a pot of water (becuase they love to look for food in the water). They never got very people-friendly (smart ducks) but I enjoyed them immensely. When they got too big for the crate, I moved them to the chicken house which has a bit of protection.

They've done great outside and I figured they were happier there -they never did get calm around me (though they learned to call to me if I slept in too late and didn't make their salad at a reasonable hour). But I miss them in the house. I guess I am lonely without Dave here, and I do worry about them outside. So a couple nights ago I walked down towards the barn one evening to check on them. They took one look at me and started squawking desperately and rushing towards me. Followed me right up to the house and in the front door.

Yes, I did let them in the front door. (I mentioned I was lonely, right). I made them their salad and they ate it so quickly I ended up making them two more before bedtime. Then they settled down by the wood stove and slept happily through the night. In the morning I let them out the front door and started cleaning duck poop off of everything (it is amazing how much two ducks can poop...)

The next night they showed up at the front door all on their own. This time I took the precaution of putting down some old sheets and arranging things so that they would be confined to the kitchen so they couldn't do so much damage to my carpets. In the morning, when I let them out again, I just picked up the sheets (COMPLETELY poop soaked) and put them in the washer. And so we've been doing things for about three weeks.

So here's the problem: I have a lot of guests around here during the summer. My mom was here a few days ago and she had her dog with her (who did not take ducks in the house with quite the equanimity my dogs seem to). And my dad and Ruth are coming next week. And after that we have three months straight of guests. Somehow I don't think I can keep letting the ducks in every night - its just too messy and too much work. And not everyone is quite so... fond of pushy, ornery ducks as I am.

Also, I have a lot to do around here. And some days I am really struggling to keep up. Its not like I NEED the added work of cleaning up after ducks every morning or the added hassle of blocking off my kitchen and plastering it with old sheets every evening (you would not believe the variety of surfaces ducks can get their poop on). So I think I have to stop letting them in. And maybe they'd be just as happy if I just made them a salad and left it outside every night... (but that's another problem - we are trying to be very money conscious and salad and fresh veggies cost a LOT. For the past month, I haven't eaten any fresh food myself because I have been saving it all for them...)

Two nights ago I didn't let them in. But last night I did - they just make me happy. I like their company. But what am I going to do tonight? And for the rest of their lives? I can't let them in forever. I simply can't. Their poop is really awful. And if anyone ever tells you it is possible to make a diaper for a duck, don't you believe them. I have tried everything and it simply doesn't work. Their tails are too big, too strong... well, just take my word for it. It just doesn't work.

So now I am trying to decide what to do about them. Haven't figured it out yet. Anybody have any good ideas?