I never saw pet ducks as a part of my future until we bought our homestead four years ago. I'd never really thought of ducks as pets period. The only ducks I knew of where the ones at the local park.
Little Debbie: The Tiniest Girl I Hatched
We were originally going to buy chickens. I'd never had chickens so I I started researching them. It was during the research process I found articles comparing ducks and chickens as pets and ducks were just so much cooler. They were so much cuter, they could swim, lay eggs you can eat, and have those adorable little quacks.
I only intended to have four but here I am three years later with fourteen ducks. Reflecting on getting ducks I realize how happy they make me. I feel at peace out in the yard with them following me around and nibbling at my hands and feet.
Back in March I hatched duckling for the first time and got to meet my adult ducks' children. It was such an amazing process. You pop an egg in an incubator and within 10 days you start to see red veins appearing. You see their eyes and tiny bodies developing. I got to see life beginning from the very start.
One of my babies newly hatched
That's why I'm so very attached to my younger ducks. They are like my kids who I helped bring into this world. Four of them I had to help hatch because they would have died without me. Mishaps happened since I was new to the process so some of the ducklings got stuck inside their shells. That makes me even more attached to them.
Baby Bluey
Bluey 7 Months Old And So Beautiful
Puddles was my last baby to hatch and he most likely would have died if I hadn't helped him when I realized he was in distress hatching. They say if a duckling died during hatching it's probably for the best because it might have had a defect or not been strong enough to survive. Puddles was blind and maybe in nature he would have died but he had me to give him a chance. He's such a sweet boy I'm glad he's here even if he requires special care.
Puddles
Puddles makes me happy and is the most pampered of the bunch. He stays in the house a lot and gets baths in the bathtub. He nuzzles his beak into my hand and falls asleep on the couch. His feathers are silky smooth and change from black to blue in the light.
Somehow over the past three years I've become a duck expert. I can diagnose health issues, have a cabinet of medicines and food additives if their eggs need more calcium or are soft. Four years ago I never thought I'd be so into ducks.
I think they are comparable to cats and dogs as pets. They can be affectionate. They show their fondness of me in beak nuzzles and finger nibbles and happy quacks. I didn't expect that from birds but ducks are extremely intelligent creatures I've found. It's lovely having such nice creatures to enrich my life. I look forward to continuing my journey with them.