Meet Peanut!
My husband, David, has always had the biggest soft spot for animals. So when he found this little cutie flipped on her back in the middle of the road, he HAD to pull over! Once verifying that she wasn't hurt, he searched and searched to try to find her ducky family, but they were no where to be found. So he brought her home.
After a quick crash course on how to raise ducklings, we have outfitted a nesting area for her (a big box filled with wood shavings, a small water dish, bowl of special duck food, and a heat lamp), and we're raising her until she's old enough to survive on her own. (btw, the she is just an assumption. It's next to impossible to tell whether a duck is male or female until they are almost full grown)
In the week since he brought her home, these are the few things we have learned about her (and ducks in general)....
1. They love & need to stay warm. She was only about 1 week old when he found her, and they need to stay roughly 95 degrees during that time. Hence the heat lamp. BUT, they're very very very social creatures, so she spends a lot of time cuddled up with us. Her favorite place is up around your neck, cuz it's nice & warm. Especially if you're wearing a collared shirt!
(A little Hot Duck under the Collar!) 2. They imprint on whomever they feel is their mother. So David is finally a MOTHER for the first time in his life! LOL!
(Following Mommy around like a good little Duckling)3. All that bread, popcorn, etc that you feed the ducks at the park? It's pure JUNK FOOD for them. It's like Duck Crack. They're totally addicted to it, but it's not really good for them.
(Sitting in a bowl full of Duck Crack)In the meantime, we've totally fallen in love with her. I can't imagine how difficult it will be to set her free in 8 weeks, but I know we need to. We'll just treasure every moment we have with her in the mean time!
(Peanut running around at the Park)
8 comments:
That is adorable! Congrats for taking the time to help her.
how cute is that!!
Isn't she the cutest little thing! We have a pond at work and the Canadian gooslings are out now. Soooo adorable!
oh my GOSH that is the cutest thing!! Maybe when you try to set her free, she'll decide she likes you guys better and will stick around and become a 'house duck'! Some people have ducks as pets. That would be so amazing.
Duck crack...simply cracked me up. That little ducky is so cute I could cry and I love that your husband is a mommie. That picture is precious.
Awww, she's such a lil cutie!! You guys are great for raising her!
And it's also great that your hubby now knows what it is to be a mommy! ;)
And I love her name!
awwwww!!!
I love that pic of her following David around! That is so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*dies*
This is almost identical to my story! I found my little female woodduck fresh out of her egg while on a hike. I nursed her to health with soggy cherios and worms. After that she grew up fast and before i knew it she was following me to school and where ever else i went. It was the funniest thing when i would leave becuase she would start quacking like a little psycho then take off into flight and follow me down the road. After fall hit she started staying out later and later until one day she never came back. She used to climb up on top of my head when i was watching TV and make a little roost in the middle of my spiked hair. I love that duck!
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