Wanna see something really cute?

[bingster]

Look at their eyes!  Zombie ducks!!!!

[McHeath]

Looks like a shot from the movie "Night of the Living Ducks"

[HobieSport]

Dang, Heath, I'll have to pick your brain for more of your good duck puns. "Art Ducko", "Night of the Living Ducks"...

The "Zombie" glowing eyes effect was an unexpected special effect. It kind of looks Photoshoped, but I took the photo early in the morning, so the flash went off, giving them that lovely murderous sinister look.

When Ducks Go Bad...I should do a mock-up of an old B-movie horror poster...

[The Operator]

I had ducks when I was a "kid" (er, in my early 20's), 2 white pekings and around 40+ mallards. The pekings were both boys and the mallards I started with 6 ducklings. We had a pond too until a freak earthquake (the epicenter of which pretty much ran through the property) shifted something in the limestone bed and aquifers and afterwards it wouldn't even hold rainwater water very long. After that the ducks liked going across the road to the neighbors creek. For many years my morning routine was being jolted out of bed before daybreak to the sound of car horns and scrambling outside to herd my fool ducks off the road. Sure, the mallards could have flown... they could have...

That's a find group of ducks you have there. Makes me think back to a time and a place...  ~The Operator

[HobieSport]

I'm seriously thinking of getting a flock of Pekin ducks for meat. I spoke with a local butcher who will do the dirty work with me in trade for some of the birds. I think I could handle the "loss" of the cute ducks if I got them specifically for meat. The Pekins are pretty amazing meat producers, with a duck-food-to-meat ratio only surpassed by broiler chickens. They can be butchered and frozen as young as 51 days, or again at 65 days.

Meanwhile the evil ducks seen here are Runner ducks (and yes, the do run, and amazingly fast, too!) that I'll be keeping for their good egg laying abilities.

I haven't named them yet, but the one with the clown-like pom-pom on her head makes me think of Kim Jong Il, especially since she pouts and pecks at the other ducks, being at the top of the pecking order...I just hope she doesn't start refining uranium...nuclear ducks are really a scary thought...

[McHeath]

Kim Jong Il!!   That's hysterical! Dye it black and get her some giant stunner sunglasses and a goofy green uniform! 

[HobieSport]

I wonder how "Kim Jong Il" (the duck) might react to some Elvis music...
Might it calm her down, or might she start "rocking out" and swiveling her hips to the tune of "Jailhouse Duck"?

[HobieSport]

Ellen asked me about the ducks from another thread, so I am updating the continuing saga of fierce waterfowl:

Ellen, thanks for asking me about the ducks. They are my best friends.
(sad but true)

I always wanted ducks. So I did lots of research, and finally took the plunge from theory to fact, and bought seven mail order ducklings a few months ago (see photos) for feathered female companionship and eggs. I thought about ducks for meat, but I am too sensitive for that.

The cute ducklings all grew up healthy and strong. Unfortunately, just in the past two weeks, other local wildlife (in the predator category) have also taken notice, and now I only have four ducks.

I lock the ducks in a nice little shed (of a particular duck-friendly design and construction) every night and let them out every morning. I feed them the best duck food (Purina) and fresh vegetables (free from the local grocery, just slightly bruised) and give them lots of water.

But it seems like the predators are one step ahead. Yesterday evening another duck went missing in action, before I locked them up safely. So now I am more watchful.

Be it known that I love the ducks and I don't mearly keep them for selfish entertainment value and companionship. They are truly wonderful creatures in their own right.

The breed name is "Runners".

-Matt

[foots]

Hobie, might I suggest a .22 and a flashlight for predator elimination? Most wildlife that'll eat your ducks are nocturnal, so after locking up your ducks, keep an eye open as the predators will most likely be looking around. A .22 doesn't make much noise so it shouldn't wake anybody.

[bwanna]

are YOU safe outside, hobie. first the cat, now the ducks

california   is it big foot?

not joshua foots.   

[McHeath]

It's the price of living in an amazingly beautiful part of California I suppose, having to deal with wildlife poaching your pets.  Luckily we don't have any wildlife left here in central Calif,  , other than the human variety, so our ducks and cats are safe but our persons less so. 

[bwanna]

central california sounds like detroit     unless rats & cockroaches qualify as wildlife.

ps i don't live in detroit. sometimes have to work there.

[McHeath]

Yeah I've read about Detroit, sad deal. 

Most of my town is not too bad, except the other side of the tracks, literally, where you don't want to be out wandering at night.  The Union Pacific divides this town right in two, and the west side is okay and the east side not. 

Of course if you want to buy a razor or new blades in this town, at Wal-Mart or wherever, you will have to go up front and ask for it as they are all locked up behind the counters.  Same with embroidery thread.  Theft is a huge problem for the stores. 

[bingster]

I can understand the problem with razor blades, but what's the deal with embroidery thread?  Do you have roving gangs of grannies threatening to crochet people to death?

[McHeath]

LOL!

Nah, the thread is stolen by the kids who make bracelets with it, and also by people who resell it at the weekly Wed flea market.  If you ever have anything stolen go to the flea market on Wed and look for it, odds are good it's there.

The Wal-Mart folks told us that they were getting 10 thread packets stolen for each 1 sold!