Psychofeatherlover

I've been chickening and ducking for about 2 years, but I went into it not knowing anything....except they lay eggs. . Got a few chickens from the sister in law, and everything was fine and kinda easy, had 1 rooster and 4 hens.....then she had 1 baby Pekin (the other one died in the brooder about 4 days old ) and my old man asked if I could have it. It was a surprise, the best kind. I had just had to put my redbone, Roscoe, to sleep bc of kidney failure, and I was absolutely devastated. He was only around 5 yrs old. I couldn't get past it. All my previous dogs, were 17, 15, or 14 years old.....5 was way to young for me. Anyway, I was heartbroken for months and months...when he gave me the little ball of fluff baby duck, I was so excited and fell in love so fast. Of course I'll never really be over roscoe, but the baby helped to heal a hole In me that I thought would always be there. We were told it was a boy, so we would call him handsome and cutie patootie, and Mr McPoodles. He was my little boy. Then he got older, we thought he needed a girlfriend and went to a Stocksale to get him a girl, and when we arrived at this horrible place, the sellers were jerking big ole Muscovy drakes from the pens by their neck, and then one wing.... I was horrified...I'd never seen such a thing. I said omg I'm gonna go to jail. My old man didn't know it was gonna be like that. I'm still traumatized from that place. But when I realized what was happening, all the buyers just wanted food I almost lost it. I said, much to the discomfort of my wonderful old man, I want that one and that one and that one....the man started catching them and putting them in vegetable crates. My old man, James, was like what are you doing?!? He told the seller no, I said don't listen to him, that one and that one....I'm glad the seller listened to me. We bought like 10 ducks, and then went to the next booth. It was chickens. I couldn't help myself....we went there for 1 female Pekin, and came home with 10 or so ducks, and about 7 or 8 chickens....and 3 pheasants and 3 chukars....my only buy, was the chickens and ducks. I would've gotten more of both, but James wouldn't give me any more money . So, after all that, we went to tsc to get some food and some heat lamps and other things we thought we needed, came home and built a lot real quick and put everybody in it. Brought the female Pekin , petunia, inside to meet Mr McPoodles, and they hit it off immediately. But she made him turn against me. It was like she would protect him every time I went in their room. (The laundry room). I don't know what kind of life she had before coming to stay with us, but I can imagine it wasn't good. So I get it. . I didn't know that if u put a trusting duck, with an untrusting duck, they would all hate u....so then we ended up having to get the smallest little female khaki Campbell out of the lot bc she was torturing everyone.... especially the biggest one of all. She was determined to be in charge I guess. So, she came inside. Then she started running around the house, with the loudest quack Ive ever heard lol. James said it was a locating call, she was looking for somebody...I was like omg what if we don't have em?!? . He went out and found 2 drakes, that looked like they matched her. I have no idea how he figured that out, but then we suddenly had one khaki hen , and 2 khaki drakes all running around the house quacking. And Mr McPoodles and petunia in the laundry room, thinking of ways to "get rid of the weird lady that wants to cuddle us all the time". So, after what seemed like forever, we thought we had everybody kinda situated, but it's a constant work in progress. Then we found out, Mr McPoodles was in fact, a Mrs McPoodles. Only when we found petunia, standing on Mr McPoodles back, and then Mr McPoodles was sitting on a nest...and we started getting 2 eggs a day, and then she finally quacked an adult hen quack, did we realize, he was a she....but her and petunia were the best of friends...weve added to our flock a few chickens, and some more ducks, but we've lost several of both as well. . When we went to the Stocksale, the only duck breed I knew of, was Pekin....we did a lot of googling and question asking, and found out we have Muscovies, khaki Campbells, and a single blue swedish hen...we called the chicken man in our area, and had a Cochin banty, dominikkers, rir, a beautiful black rooster (who turned out to be a real jerk and tried to kill my banty roosters) a leghorn, a brahma, and I don't remember what else. Since then, we have acquired a runner Drake, a runner hen (who recently passed away), and a sapphire gem hen, 2 Easter eggers....why is it so hard to remember all this right now. Anyway, like I said it's all still a work in progress, and we r definitely still learning a ton of new stuff. Life is definately different with so many, but I wouldn't change it, or give any of them up for anything. I did have to recently part with 6 Muscovy babies, and it was heart wrenching when they left, but they went to James sister, so I can visit anytime. But it is still hard for me. I've not given any animal away since I was 23, and I'm now 45. I always kept my dogs and cats till they got old and passed away. I do wish I could be a better feather mom, and give them a huge house and run, but Ive been out of work for almost a year, my therapist said I can't work right now and James has been on medical leave for a year and a half. The struggle is real, but we get by, most of the time, and the flock seems happy. Omg every time I get the chance to talk about my flock, it ends up a mile long. And we keep 3rd shift hours, so we r about to go and work on the chicken and duck house. We are adding on, so they have more room. But we love them, and I can't imagine not having a few ducks or chickens around. I love being part of a flock... Sorry for the rambling mess, I get all chicken lady crazy and everything comes out at once.