Identity Crisis

[JulieSherris]

I've had a right giggle this afternoon....

4-ish months ago, I hatched 2 ducklings & 2 chicks... 1 duckling died, so I popped the other one in with the chicks. All was good & they soon became great friends.

They went from the baby box to the infant cabinet, to the toddler hutch & hubby finally persuaded me to let them out one afternoon & see how they went. I took the duck to the duck flock, but she wasn't interested & started yelling for her 2 chick friends.... and ever since then, if you see one, the other 2 are just a few steps away.
So now they've nearly grown up, we now have a lovely looking green cayuga duck who thinks she's a chicken..... then we have a good looking black maran hen with a fine crop of feathers on her legs, and finally a rooster from the white dorking boy & a brown hybrid hen - he's got some gorgeous colours going on too.

BUT..... he doesn't know he's a rooster!! He's just started to practice his crow (sooo cute!) and he's also practising his mating skills...... with the older ducks!! The thing is, the ducks are letting him, albeit a little vocal, which brings Danny the Drake... and a mad chase around the garden!
Oh, I shouldn't laugh.... I'm hoping he'll get the idea soon, maybe I need to show him a mirror

[Annpan]

Oh deary me... what a pickle... I hope they sort it out and work out who is who and what goes where...lol

[sortanormalish]

I had the same thing with ducks and geese! Actually I had fifteen of each and just stuck them together thinking they are both waterfowl so no problem. And it wasn't a problem until a gander chose a duck as his mate and wouldn't let the drake at her. I let the odd couple be, the show is too good. I give her another duck's eggs to incubate and we eat hers. He is a very devoted husband and father. More than any other duck would ask for Even after the first year of babies, all the birds are still good friends and the geese protect the ducks from roaming dogs and racoons.

[Millymollymandy]

Just enjoy it Julie, I still have hysterics every time I see my female ducks bonking each other which they do with regularity. It's always Daffy on top (yes Daffy is a girl, I had assumed she was male because of said 'act' but then she starting laying eggs).

[JulieSherris]

Yep, we have 4 ducks & a drake in our main duck flock & everyone bonks the little brown duck - but she doesn't mind... I rather think she likes the attention!!

I put this on my facebook yesterday, a couple of weeks ago, an old guy called in to see if I had any ducks for sale - they must lay green eggs, he said... mine only lay white eggs, so off he went.
Yesterday he came & brought me 4 green eggs for the incubator!
He got 6 from someone who took nothing for them, popped 2 under a bantam hen of his, but she couldn't have any more because they were too big for her, so he brought the rest to me - free of charge but with the promise of a cabbage or two when they are ready.
It made me smile for the day anyway.

[bonniethomas06]

Hehe, how funny! Although I would love to see chickens swimming on a pond...

[theabsinthefairy]

We have geese that have partnered with ducks - a white Emden (Mr Shouty and his two wh*res, Christina and Aquilera) Mummy goose is in love with the meat ducks and thinks the new chicken chicks are her babies (she had just gone broody when the chicks moved into a rabbit pen nearby and now she is a bit confused).

We have a guinea fowl who thinks he is a duck and joins in the scrum around the pond - he is very very noisy so you always know when there is a bit of sauciness going on (they were raised together from hatching). And then there is the bantam cockerel who can't get a look in on the hens with the big cockerel around so he is always trying it on with the rest of the guinea fowl (who are a couple of weeks old now - straight from market).

[Millymollymandy]

Had a good giggle over your somewhat confused menagerie!

[sortanormalish]

Have I told you about my goat who is infatuated with the cow? Or my female blue-heeler that carries kittens in her mouth and protects them from all harm, including the care of their mother? (One of the most vicious dog breeds, yeah right.) She does the same with the goslings and duckilings every spring. She has never hurt a single one. Of course she also handles the cows and goats well too. The Kids (goats) always love her.

I think it is hilarious to watch animals adapt to other species around them and interact. Proves they're smarter than we give them credit for. It isn't all instinct.

[theabsinthefairy]

Our Border Collie loves kittens. HE is a castrated 5 year old dog, who has found and bought home kittens in his mouth, sleeps with them every night, allows them to suckle him and protects them from other cats, chickens, geese and people. He loves his babies.

[Thomzo]

Before the fox got him, my black pekin bantam boy managed to mount a pigeon. I've no idea how he managed to catch her as he couldn't jump higher than a matchstick. She wasn't best pleased but if you see a black pigeon with feathery legs flying around Swindon, you'll know who the dad was.

Zoe

[JulieSherris]

Ohhh...... our Basset girl has just come into season.
I've not had a bitch dog in season since I was about 13, so it's a whole new thing. Our 2 boys have both been neutered so no danger there.

Howveer, next door have 3 dogs - a sheepdog thing that doesn't come over the wall, a deformed corgi lookalike thing that can't scale the wall & a rough looking jack russell type thing that CAN jump the wall.....

I'm going to have to be a bit vigilant methinks.... oh, the mind boggles!

[Millymollymandy]

Oh-oh a small dog and a short legged dog....

Zoe I had a good giggle over your bantam mounting the pigeon!

I like this thread.

[JulieSherris]

Ugh... I think the jack russell has been in.
Pix went out by herself a little while ago - the boys are NOT morning dogs & can easily stay asleep until noon!
Anyway, I went out to get the birds up & heard the little thing barking - he was in the lane outside, but tongue hanging out - she was up at the wall, all tails wagging! I dunno if he got to her, but I'm guessing time will tell, huh?

Part of me says that this shouldn't happen.... the other part of me says that it would be so cute to have pups.... but then it's just so bloody irresponsible..... but then Gail & Nikki are both planning on getting new dogs in the next few months.... and we could squeeze in one more, couldn't we?

Good job that Andy never comes on here for a read!!

[sortanormalish]

Have you considered a chastity belt?
Neither of my girls are spayed, but I haven't had any trouble when they come into season. I was told to have my husband and sons pee around their outside pen to keep male dogs away. It has worked for years. But we were out of town last week when the Blue Heeler begin her season so we'll see how well it really works in a couple of months. I think if anything got her it would have been this beefy Blue male next door. I could be ok with that. But my word, have you ever seen Blue Heeler puppies?! They are little devils!