“Cluck, Cluck” goes the Lucky Duck

Our children have grown up on the farm surrounded by animals. Our youngest child, Abigail, has been exposed to the largest varieties of animals. She learnt what most animals said by us walking around the farm asking her…

What does a cow say… “Moo”

What does a pig say… “Oink”

What does a horse say… “Neigh”

Etc….

 This week we added to our livestock – We welcomed 14 laying hens, 100 baby chicks & one special little duck. The 14 laying hens & 100 baby chicks we had been planning; our little duck was quite a surprise to us. When we went to purchase our hens, we met a sweet little girl who had been mothering him & his 2 other siblings as their mother had abandoned them in the mud down by their pond. So, while the men were busy “wrangling” the hens (we got some great pictures there, might I add –); Nehemiah & I held the little duck & talked about “What a duck says, does, lives, etc… “… little did we know that little duck would be coming home with us. But, after all the hens were caught & loaded, we went to return the little duck baby to his foster momma & was told that he was ours now and was given a quick run- down of how to care for a baby duck. (Just in case you are wondering – chick food to eat, a heating lamp to keep warm & something to cuddle up against; our little duck was lucky that I happened to have a large stuffed duck, which he now thinks is his Momma) So, away we went – 14 laying hens in the back & one baby duck wrapped in a cloth diaper cover keep safe in Elijah’s arms on the car ride home.

The laying hens are already happily laying their eggs in their new home, err should I say field, woods, wherever. We kept them in the pin for the first two days, but since then they have been out pecking & scratching in the woods or fields, or as my father-in-law likes to say out expressing their “chickenness”. And, I am sure that too soon our little duck will soon be paddling & splashing in our ponds expressing his “duckness”, but right now at just a week old he stays inside cuddled next to his Momma (Quackers) chirping for what seems like all night long. He has already been swimming with us a few times – he is spoiled & has his own personal pool which doubles as a sand & water table when he is not present.

 Around here once you are named, you are part of the New Norm Family when it comes to animals. And our little duck is now officially named…. Mr. Waddles. We have already been asking Abigail…What does a duck say?…. And here on New Norm Farm our little lucky duck goes “cluck, cluck”.