only four little ducks

Queenie, who was the friendliest and smartest of our pet ducks, died during the night last night. She wasn't sick. She died trying to lay an egg. Egg bound. It happened very very quick.

I spent all morning cleaning and disinfecting the duck house, pools, and aviary, which made me late to church.

My mind keeps singing, "five little ducks went out to play, over the hills and far away, GrMa Duck said quack quack quack, but only four little ducks came back." I know it isn't the same; Queenie passed with her flock family around her. But yesterday we had five duckies and now we are down to four. Loving and caring for such fragile creatures is not for the faint of heart.

One more things I want to say. It was sadly sweet to see our other duckies love her and comfort her in her last hours.

We do everything we can ... and sometimes that is not enough. Rest in peace Queenie, the humans will certainly miss you.

This was written by GrMaDuck Sam

nom nom nom

Phone Camera picture of our duckies munching on grasses - wish you could hear their quiet happy quacks

adjustments - spring has sprung

This is just a quick update ... We thought we had posted several times since early March but apparently the mobile up-link is not working well.

Spring make our boy duckies MEAN!  We didn't want to have to separate the flock for any length of time, but this spring have been forced to in order to protect them from themselves.  A semi permanent dividing fence has been added to the aviary and a pet gate to divide the inside of the duck house.  (Beau gets to sleep on the girls side for safety.  This seems to be helping matters and now there are a few days when we can keep the dividing gate open all day.  Overall giving separation time seems to be helping.

Our pet duckies an very glad to see spring.  They are LOVING the new spring grasses and we let them out in the big yard to forage as much as possible.  

A few pictures of our feathered loves are below.