Duckie Dynasty: Rise To The Throne

Over the Memorial Day weekend, I was able to spend some time with the ducklings my husband and I hatched in an incubator. They're not completely comfortable with us yet but they are fast learners.

Sadly, we've lost two. Lil Brutus, the duck I assisted from his egg and previous leader of the flock, was killed by a dog. One of our hens was killed by an unknown predator but it seems our current ducks have learned from those experiences. They're extremely cautious and suspicious of everything.

Daffy (as named by my boys) has stepped in to fill Lil Brutus' role and every morning, he leads the hens on a cautious trip from one side of the pond to the other. The journey is a long one because they waddle a few steps then stop and listen. They prefer the sunny side of the pond during the day, but in the evenings, they nest on the side closest to the house.

Perry feeds them each evening and they've learned to associate the sound of a car engine with food. They disregard any perceived danger as soon as you make your descent down the long drive and comically waddle as fast as their short legs will carry them.

After spending the first evening there, I found them lined up, side by side, at the bottom of the steps when I stepped onto the porch that following morning. They weren't chattering as most ducks do during feeding time. They were silent as little mice but their message was clear: cat food. corn. now.

Here's a video of their very cautious feeding frenzy: