Have Duck, Will Travel

Do you have any idea how many strange looks you get when you drive down the road with a duck in your car?... Or, go through the bank drive-thru with a duck in the car?  People were staring, laughing, flapping their arms like a duck, and other such silliness.  

Now, you might be wondering WHY we were driving down the road with a duck in the car.  A smarter person would have put the thing in a kennel of sorts during travel but Sierra is the one who loaded the duck in the car and she thought it was a good idea to hold it in her lap with a piece of cardboard under the duck to catch any "accidents".  Let's just say that was gross and at some point I was thinking we needed a diaper!  Yucko!  This bird was flapping his wings wildly some moments.  As I was trying to drive I was having to reach over and help her get the duck under control.  (Shaking my head!). 

It was re-homing day for this feathered friend of ours.  Last year when we purchased him as a wee duckling we were hoping for laying ducks.  Once we determined that both the ducks we purchased were males we knew we would not keep them permanently.  Fast forward to now one of the ducks died and we have kept this one out of pity for him.  The problem is that he is the only duck and is living with our chickens and turkeys.  There is no water for him to play in unless we fill small containers.  I think it is affecting his health to not be able to be in the water.  His eyes have had matter in them which I am hoping in a more natural, wet environment will clear up.  And, then there's the feed bill.  Ducks eat quite a bit.  Since he can't lay an egg he is just driving the feed bill up.  

We took him to a beautiful park locally that has other ducks and plenty of space.  There is a nice little pond that will be a wonderful new home for him.  Immediately, upon being released into the pond he flapped his wings and splashed around with joy washing himself.  It took to it very well.  Hopefully, we will see him when we visit the park.  Maybe he will find a mate and start a little duck family.