| Duke's Journal |
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| 2/24/02 - This is a picture of my new baby! I got Duke Feb. 23, 2002. I have always wanted a baby duck and so Donald promised to get me one for Valentine's Day. Well, after waiting for over a week, Tractor Supply finally got some in stock. I had to end up buying six ducklings just to get this special one. I gave the others away to a good farm home. Duke is now a house duck! He follows us around the house 24/7. He doesn't like to be left alone at all. He cries in is sweet little duckie voice if he can not at least see us near him. One duck is a huge handful. Ducks are very social and they like to be near what they consider "their flock" and Duke has made us, his flock. Duke acts just like any other baby. Right now it's hard to get a nights sleep because he wakes up almost every hour just to be fed and watered. He refuses to sleep alone in his box so he sleeps on a pillow on our bed. So that means I have to wake up with him. I don't mind though cause when I look at that sweet duckie face I just have to smile. |
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| 3/6/02 - I have had Duke a little over a week now and so much has already changed. He has grown so much! He is starting to lose his little yellow fuzz and has little white feathers poking through. His belly is almost totally white now. I put him in the tub for the first time today. Only in a few inches of water though. He loved it! I used a blow dryer on him afterwards cause I worry about him getting a chill. I feel very motherly over him. He follows me around everywhere I go. He sleeps in a portable rabbit cage that I put on a chair next to the bed. He still can't stand to be out of our sight. He jumps off the couch and comes to look for us if we get up without him. I never really realized just how lovable a duck could be. He loves to give duckie kisses and just loves to have me sing to him. Maybe I am spoiling him too much! Oh, I have discovered that he very much likes canned corn! He attacks our plates if he even sees it on there. Of course mommy and daddy give him some. How can you say no to such a sweet little face! |
| 4/24/02- It has been a while since I have updated Duke's Journal. Duke is now got all his adult feathers and has turned a beautiful creamy white. He still follows me around constantly and he still sleeps next to the bed. He doesn't really liked to be petted now but he tolerates kisses and hugs from me. He doesn't really quack. His voice has more of a raspy sound. He wears a home made diaper that I have created made from scrap cloth, velcro and plastic baggies. He loves to swim in the bath tub. He also tries to fly by flapping his wings and running on his tip toes. He won't ever be able to fly cause Pekin ducks don't but he still thinks he can. He loves to pick on my dog, Comet. He sneaks up on her and gives her a little peck. I think he thinks he is playing. Luckily, Comet just thinks he is playing too and just barks at Duke when he pecks at her. He is eating adult duck food now. One of the cutest things he does is come in the bathroom when I am in the tub and drink out of my bathwater. He does so many silly things that there is never a dull day. He is my constant companion and I just don't know now how I would fill my days without him. |
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| 8/19/02- Lord, so much has changed since I last posted in Duke's journal. He is now a full blooded male drake. He thinks of me as his mate and will actually try his best to mate with me. I have told him repeatedly not to expect me to lay eggs. He stays outside during the days now. He has his own pool to swim in and everytime we go out to swim in the big pool, he jumps in his. |
| He is very aggressive towards Donald now. Any time he sees him he basically goes into attack mode. The only thing we can figure is that he gets jealous. Donald fends him off the best he can but mostly I have to be there to intercept Duke when he decides to go after Donald. Whew, keeps me pretty busy but I could never say I regret one minute of having him. Even Donald wouldn't give him up. He is a big part of the family. When we went on vacation to South Dakota, me and him both worried about what Duke was doing back home without us. My mom duck sat for us and actually Duke was very well behaved. He had a run in with our dog, Red, recently. Duke has got a crack in his bill now. I worry about how much pain it causes him but he doesn't even seem to notice. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it grows back together but I am not too hopeful. As long as it doesn't bother him when he eats then it should be ok. Oh, well, keeping up with Duke is a full time job, I tell you what! |
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