Duck News Flash

Attention: As of August 25, 2009 there are NO ducks on the Ahlgren farm. 

Moment of silence...

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They were fun while they lasted but we don't lament their passing much. 

We've had a lot of ducks (at one point we had nearly 200 ducklings) but the cold, the hawks, the owls, overdosing on excess bodily solids from the cow and a few random drownings (yes, ducks can actually drown, mainly when they're ducklings though) eventually whittled their numbers down to a mere 14. Pretty major, huh. These 14 survived blissfully free and happy without any limitations for 2 weeks. Then, on a dark and stormy night (filled to the brim with wild dreams, startling awakenings, conversations in our sleep, hearing whistling outside, and finally being convinced that it was a rooster) 13 ducks, um... had a rough night too because when we went about our outdoor business the next day only one duck was to be heard. No feathers, no paw prints, no nothing. 

So, this one duck survived for another 2-3 weeks. It ate and sometimes slept with the chickens, and would wonder off all by its lonesome to swim around and eat tadpoles. As all ducks do, this duck loved to try to drown out your voice with its typical loud, annoying and ridiculous quacking. I've been standing 6 feet away from my dear husband and actually had to yell to be heard over the racket of a dozen ducks! Poor David was trying to have conversation on the phone with our neighbor Elijah as he tended to our fowl while this duck proceeded to quack and squawk at the top of it pitiful little lungs. So following the phone call the duck recieved his due punishment by being brought into the peafowl/turkey/GM chicken pen. The duck is somewhat aggressive around the peafowl, acquiring for its self a string tied around one leg for the purpose of pulling it out of any skirmishes it might provoke. It didn’t like this. It didn't like David after this. And, it disappeared after this.

Here is a picture, taken months ago, of the white duck, our final survivor duck.

So, no more ducks on the Ahlgren farm. It is so quiet out here, absolutely peaceful. The ducks were without doubt entertaining and fun to watch and, at certain moments, they were a joy and blessing to have, but everything has it's season, and for now "duck season" is over for us! :)