Adorable Duckling
There is no doubt about it, ducklings are cute. The entire family is taken with them and we are all wondering at the fact that they were originally purchased for eating and hoping that they will grow up to be ugly and mean. This is a new venture for us. My husband has raised chickens for meat for a couple of years and of course we have our laying hens, but ducks are new.
They are so much more personable than the chicks. They do not want to be held and are quite strong, but they look you right in the eye with their sweet black eyes surrounded by fluffy yellow down and hold you there. It is impossible to get annoyed with them, even when I have to fill their waterer four times a day. When they get a little bigger we are hoping to set them free in the garden for pest control with a little fertilizing action thrown in. I am anxious to see how well the do around the plants.
I love my ducks too – the breed that I have is Muscovy, and there’s nothing cuter than a Muscovy duckling!. Be aware though, that your ducks are not picky about the plants they eat along with the bugs and slugs, and they are grazers as well as bug eaters. That’s a good good thing because they do help control weeds. You will need to have some sort of a barrier between them and the plants you want to protect – even just a 15-18″ wire barrier is enough to discourage them. I have successfully used the little wire ‘stick-in-the-ground’ border fences quite successfully.
Thank you for the warning! I will take precautions.
In the southern regions of Arizona & New Mexico, the people that operate the “wild bird sanctuaries” have discovered that birds have no trouble with seed even if “HOT” chili powder is mixed in with it. A birds’ digestive tract does not damage a hot pepper’s seed and is not affected by the capsaicin..
The same is not true for mammals, as their digestive tract DOES damage the hot pepper’s seed. Biologists believe that capsaicin was developed by the pepper plant to protect it’s seeds. Mammals are greatly affected by the capsaicin and will avoid it if possible.
I use Cayenne Pepper frequently in my flower beds that the squirrels would love to picnic in. It WORKS WELL and it is as organic as you want. I will dust my vegetables as well, and as of this today, I do not have a problem with the squirrels, either. Good Luck and Good Eating!