Critter Creek Duckling

[Richard S]

One of the young hen ducks at Critter Creek started laying her eggs in random spots on the gravel driveway and abandoning them. I found four such eggs last June and decided to see if they could be incubated. After 28 days, one egg (the fourth one I found) hatched. And so, here are three photographs of "Quatro" of Critter Creek -- one at 15 minutes after hatching, one after one week, and one after three weeks (the last one taken yesterday):

I used to be an avid duck hunter. Now here I am hatching one from an abandoned egg.  Lo, how the mighty are fallen!  

[DTM_39]

Richard, How long did you have to sit on that egg?  Does he call you mama?     Dan

[Richard S]

Dan:

It took 28 days, and I'm trying to teach him to call me "Sir."  

I carried those four eggs back and forth to the Gatlinburg cabin and once even to Center Hill Lake near Nashville, always with the incubator in the back of the SUV. You can't imagine the ribbing I took from my dearly beloved, my ribald friends, and every member of my family except my older daughter . . . or the surprise on all their faces when the fourth egg actually hatched. I'm now known as "the Duck Whisperer."

An here's the drake which I believe to be "Quatro's" father:

Life at Critter Creek is a real soap opera at times.  

[theirishguard]

Richard, congrats on the addition to the family. Hunting ducks and raising them go hand in hand. It shows that you care about their future and a good meal. Try to get one of papa's curved tail feathers to sport in your hat.  Tom

[DTM_39]

Richard,  I am sure that Quatro will be calling you Sir in no time.  There is nothing better than nuturing life and watching it flourish.  Dan

[Richard S]

Update: "Quatro of Critter Creek" at four months -- and spoiled rotten:

[theirishguard]

what a different color pattern. Did you have anything to do with that?  Tom

[Richard S]

Tom:

It has been said by some of those near and dear to my heart that I am probably responsible for Quatro's "attitude" (here read "arrogance"), but his coloration is a mystery. Lord only knows what genetic hodgepodge was passed along in that hybrid hen's DNA. It would appear, though, that the Mallard drake lacks prepotency when it comes to stamping his colors on his offspring.  

[DTM_39]

Looks like  Quatro landed in Duck Heaven.  He looks well fed and I believe he is smiling.  Dan

[Richard S]

Dan:

The young man holding Quatro in the photograph is a local 4-H Club member whose family operates a working farm in our  county with two ponds and a number of ducks and geese. The boy has literally adopted Quatro and made a special pet out of him. I'm told that Quatro follows the boy around the farm like a puppy, that the two of them go swimming together in the family's swimming pool, that Quatro lives in a special "duck house" which has been constructed in the basement of the home, and that the two of them even watch television together while sharing popcorn.

Yes, it does indeed sound like duck heaven.  I've seen the famous ducks at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, and they don't have it half as good as Quatro does.

[theirishguard]

 another happy ending to a fairy tale  Tom

[Richard S]

More on the life and times of Quatro of Critter Creek:

Swimming Lessons --

Seasons Greetings --

This duck has it made!

[theirishguard]

Richard, what cool duck. can he be used for gun dog training?  Tom

[Richard S]

Tom:

I'm told that, with some muscled reinforcement from Quatro's current owner, all four dogs on the family farm have now been trained to realize that messing with this particular duck is generally hazardous to canine health and well being.    

[theirishguard]

sound advice.   Tom