The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: little blue on September 25, 2011, 08:46:21 pm

Title: killer ducks...
Post by: little blue on September 25, 2011, 08:46:21 pm
o/h came in today saying "bring a bag, or a box. Your drake is a murderer!"

I thought he meant that the drake had drowned one of his girls, randy little devils that they are.

put my wellies on and went out with a black bag to find ....

... an enormous bloated rat floating in the duck pond! (bath)

its at least the second time we've found a dead rat in their bath - o/h says he saw the drake actually holding this one down under the water!

so they've all  had extra corn as a treat, well done boy, that's another b**ger gone!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: robert waddell on September 25, 2011, 09:03:40 pm
must be some drake to hold a rat down to drown they have some strength when there life is expiring :farmer:
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: ellisr on September 26, 2011, 11:04:50 am
oooh I was thinking of getting cats to help around the farm maybe I'm wrong and should get ducks instead ;D
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: doganjo on September 26, 2011, 11:31:27 am
Can I borrow him  ::) - my Jack just stands there and watches them run in steal their food, then run up the tree.  I don't think my girls notice.  How did he get the rat into the water? 
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 27, 2011, 10:43:56 am
oh, I was worried when I started to read this post - we had a pond casualty in the summer (sadly not a rat!), suspecting the tandem of boys. I was so cross, one is now spending the rest of his life in an enclosure with monkeys, he was lucky I did not murder him but the punishment is greater this way  ;D ;D :&>
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: little blue on September 27, 2011, 08:26:03 pm
I know what you mean NFD, I constantly worry about one of our girls being drowned by her over-amorous fella... she waits til after they've been in the pond (bath!) befor she'll go in.
  I didn't know you had monkeys?!

We have 4 cats, they are good ratters too.  the bloomin' rats have a run I think under the ducks' bath where it can drain. Found that they've chewed a hole in the chicken shed wall, in a really awkward place. Hope that was the rat the duck caught!
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 27, 2011, 10:43:29 pm

  I didn't know you had monkeys?!




 ;D ;D ;D we don't, a nearby animal park does  ;D :&>


if there is so much evidence of the buggers now, what will it be like in the winter for you???  :o
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: Penninehillbilly on September 27, 2011, 11:12:29 pm
I wonder if his offspring will inherit the killer trait?  ;D that would be an interesting marketing ploy for the eggs
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: little blue on September 28, 2011, 07:10:32 pm
if there is so much evidence of the buggers now, what will it be like in the winter for you???  :o

we're kind of used to it - the bloomin' cats will bring rats, mice and shrews home from the factory & mill behind us, if they don't catch them at home!!
  we have traps, poisons, and big sticks as well as the cats & ducks... and sometimes borrow next doors' JRT!
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: Dizzycow on September 28, 2011, 09:54:23 pm
Oooh. There are two dead mice in our little pond, I wonder.....?!
Title: Re: killer ducks...
Post by: little blue on September 29, 2011, 09:17:03 pm
:D    :D