A while back, one of the kids wrote a blog post about “Chuck the Chicken Duck,” one of our Araucanas who felt more comfortable with the ducks than her own flock.
Today as we were cleaning the barn stall the ducks stay in at night, we found Chuck inside. Normally, she lays her daily egg in one of the nesting boxes. However, Midnight started setting yesterday (Katy has already been setting in the other box since the beginning of the month), so now both boxes are occupied.
We tried to shoo Chuck out the door to keep her from disturbing them. Every time we did, she ran back in, or flew over the door or stall wall. She was very determined, and agitated that she didn’t have a place to lay her egg. We finally gave up, figuring that the ducks would scare her away and Chuck would find somewhere else. The ducks are quite grumpy when setting, and aggressive at driving intruders away.
Sure enough, as Chuck hopped up on the nesting boxes, Midnight chased her away. But Katy evidently is more patient, and we returned from a wheelbarrow dumping to find this:
Katy is quite the patient one. We’ll wait till she makes her daily jaunt off the nest to eat and drink to get Chuck’s egg…
A Joyful Birth
The Flying T Ranch Blog 
Posted by Life & Sunshine on June 18, 2012 at 8:21 pm
we once had a suck name Harold who thought he was a Labrador…silly duck
Posted by Granny on June 28, 2012 at 10:02 pm
I would love to know what goes on in the minds of animals who are drawn to other kinds beside their own and in the minds of those who welcome them into the fold. I feel there is a reason your Katy accepted Chuck. She understands. Animals do not seek to analyze or explain everything; they don’t need to verbalize everything to make sense of it, as someone writing down an idea on the blackboard in order to see it and make sure it is structurally sound. Animals choose kindness and compassion out of pure, natural knowing.
Posted by Weekend Highlights – Noteworthy Articles by Fellow Bloggers – June 30, 2012 « Granny's Parlour on June 30, 2012 at 8:19 am
[…] And continue here: Chuck the Chicken Duck, Part II […]