New Ducks

Our new arrivals, the Muscovies, taken just a few days after we got them, two and a half weeks ago. They are much bigger now!

Last weekend, Kevin and Oliver once again made a trip to the livestock auction, with Kevin returning home weith three stunning, fawn and white, India Runner Ducks (picture to follow when the weather gets a bit nicer).

There was initially some trouble: the muscovies were angry and kept attacking the runners, but by the next morning the tables were turned. Now the runners keep the muscovies out of the pond except at meal times. Since the runner are still wary of me, the muscovies eat while the runners stand a little way off. Once the muscovies are finished, I move out the way and the runners get a chance at the remains, while the clever muscovies get the opportunity to swim for a bit, before the runners once again snatch back their watery territory.

We have been ridding the garden of these horrible banana slugs. The ducks love them - it's like caviar or paté to one of us. Of course they find their own, but they don't have access to the whole yard, so any we find we take to them and they gorge themselves. It's quite ghastly to watch - the slime dribbles out of their beaks which they then have to wash off in the pond or the water trough. It's all protein I suppose, and I'd rather they ate them than have them in the garden, attacking my plants. And to think, one day we shall eat the ducks.