Our Barnyard Love Story

     I've always had a fascination with Muscovy Ducks or as they are called around here "turkey ducks".  A while back, like 5 years ago, I had bought some fertile eggs and hatched them out.  The hatch wasn't that great but I did get a drake and a hen and that's all I needed.  They grew and the next spring they hatched 12 little ones.  I was so proud!  It was fun watching them scurry around with their mom until one night...a predator had viciously attacked both the mom and all 12 babies.  I was devastated.  After that we didn't have the heart to add him to the freezer.  So, for the past 5 years he's been wandering the farm, living off the land and minding his own business.  We've always called him "duck".

     This past winter we got a call from a neighbor who found a duck and asked if we wanted it.  Never took in a stray duck before but what the heck.  Maybe "duck" will have a friend.  LOL  So our girls went over to retrieve the duck and brought it home where it stayed with the chickens. The girls said it was a dark colored duck and we soon found out it was a hen.   I personally never saw it until this spring when I opened up the door to the chickens.  Out came this beautiful duck...I was excited but "duck" was REALLY excited.  He would wiggle his tail feathers and showing off to her, showing her where his favorite mud puddle was...OMG, I never thought I'd see such a happy duck.  He would watch her as she bathed in a puddle, never taking his eyes off of her...Duck, was in love.



      She turned out to be another Muscovy!!!!  They "bonded" immediatly and the end of July produced 5 little ducklings, of which 3 survived.

    We've referred now to our pair as "Romeo & Juliet"...but this story has a little more of a happy ending.



Moral of the story...Good things come to those who wait.  :)