Hallo Mr. and Mrs. Pet Lovers! Raise your hands if you have ducks in your yards. I do, too. At first I wasn’t excited to have them because they ate a lot. They kept eating and eating. After eating, they didn’t need long time to eat again then poop everywhere. But then I find something interesting about these ducks. They are family consist of a male, six females and eggs every day.
There should be only one female. If there are more than one, the males will fight all the time. The loser will be beaten by the stronger especially when it tries to be close to the females. The loser male is isolated, alone, although the ducks used to be together when they were still ducklings. And, the stronger male which is only one will have the females for itself.
I always make my ducks stay in my yard in the morning until afternoon because they usually lay eggs at that time. You know what, they lay eggs like pooping. They do it everywhere and anytime they like before afternoon. So If I let them out before 11.00 am the females lay eggs outside the yard, can be in the neighbor’s yard or in the bush or anywhere and we can’t find the eggs. However, the ducks seem to understand and they enjoy it. They have party, gathering, enjoying free drink and cleaning up their bodies.
Can you guess which one the male is from the picture below? I notice that the male usually watch the area meanwhile the females are enjoying their time together. The male will have the food after “the ladies” feel full. The male ducks will make sure that his ladies are “safe” from any disturbance.
The happy party includes cleaning the fur together. Cleaning the fur will be complete with enough water to “shower”. They refresh their body before a long walk later.
The ducks never waste any food. They will accomplish all the food I prepare until nothing left. The ducks keep the food they eat not in the stomach, but they have it in their craw, the pouch of their neck. You know when they have enough food, the pouch will be round, and when they are hungry the pouch will be thin.
The ducks eat not only from the food I give, but also eat the little creatures like bugs and they have fresh grass for the snacks. In my yard, they find more food in the fertile ground.
A duck sometimes spread it’s wings to stretch up and it shows that they enjoy their party pretty much.
The ducks have eaten, having desserts, drinking, having a morning bath, everything is completed with a rest, having a sleep by hiding the head among the feathers, closing their eyes. They can sleep while standing. And again, the white male “guards” the sleeping females and other relaxing ladies.
Now they are ready to have a walk around the neighborhood. They wait in front of the gate. They cannot fly, so they need the gate opened to be able to go. “We are ready to go! Open the gate!” I feel that’s the meaning of the sounds the make.
So enthusiastically, the ducks go out once the gate is open.
The group walks in line, like a march. They go out impatiently without looking back. However they will return in the afternoon, to have another party in my yard next morning and laying eggs as return.
