We really didn’t want to get another duck, but we now have another duck. I wrote a month or so ago about our ducks going wild. Well, they really, really went wild. They were literally quacking at epic levels at the cars driving by. It got to be so much that we were worried our neighbors were going to complain. Those ducks just never stopped quacking, and female ducks have very, very big quacks.
I decided to ask other duck owners in a Maine duck forum on Facebook for advice. I told the story about our girls, and everyone said “You need a boy.” It turns out that, without a male, a flock of females will resort to quacking for protecting themselves from threats, and as high-strung ducks, a flock of Indian Runner ducks perceive pretty much everything as a threat. Bairre couldn’t go outside at all without chaos ensuing, and he hadn’t chased a duck since he was a baby. Still, the ducks have long memories, it seems.
We were very worried about getting another boy because of Anna Maria, but a young boy is fast. This seemed like our best chance because the girls were so loud, so very loud. So I started a search to find a very young male duck. I didn’t have much luck at first, so I decided to post to the duck forum on Facebook that I was in search of a male duck less than one year old. The responses started rolling in! I decided to just go with the very first response to see if we could make a plan.
It turns out this little boy was one of four boys from this year’s hatch, and goodness knows you cannot have four male ducks, unless you have only male ducks. And, even then, I would be hesitant. Anyway, this woman was so happy to find this little duck a home that she drove him to me.
He’s a gorgeous boy. He’s seven months old. The woman told me he was gray, and he is. However, he’s so unique. He looks like he’s part Mallard. I researched and found out that the gray runner ducks are called Mallard Gray runners and that they are a pretty rare Runner duck in general.
He’s so beautiful that Ron said he was tempted to hatch duck babies next year, but I said we aren’t making any more ducks until we one day live where there are no neighbors at all. He agreed, and I have to say, though I love these beautiful birds, I don’t think I want ducks for the rest of my life. I think all of my worry over keeping Anna Maria safe has just worn me out. Chickens? Yes. Ducks? I’m not so sure.
For now, however, we have a beautiful boy who has landed in a really good situation for a duck. Lots of space. His own ladies. Two Great Pyrenees for protection. Plus, peas every night at bedtime. He’s a very lucky boy, at least he has many fortunate years ahead of him, and maybe he won’t have the same kind of struggles in his older age that Antonio did. I’m going to just hope so.
And we have to think of a name. Right now, I’m leaning toward Seven.
