Mr Flapper Duck

Bitey Biters

We get a lot of emails from new duck owners who are upset when their ducks turn into aggressive biters. Ducks bite. Especially drakes. Hand-raised drake ducks can bite a ton, and it hurts. Muscovy drakes have a ridge on their beak that makes the bites even worse. They bite because they love. This is one reason we never recommend ducks for families with dogs or kids. Even if your dog would never chase your ducks, your duck will chase your dog! Here O’Malley demonstrates his persistence in wanting to bite me. This was one of his calmer moments.

P.S. I love this duck. He is a lovable biter and he’s my good buddy. He just reminds me a little bit of Hannibal Lector.

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August 29, 2010|O'Malley Peepers, Silly Human|7 Comments

Release the Chickens!

Olly Astro and Janet are always excited to come out of the aviary when I get home from work, because I have corn treats waiting for them in the yard. O’Malley of course helps me do everything. He thinks he is very helpful.

flap pool
Flapper had his treats in the pool.

Then I told him a bedtime story and tucked him into his nest.

“Once upon a time there was a sweeeeet duckling named Flapper.”

Good night everyone.

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August 26, 2010|Mr Flapper, Rescues, Silly Human|4 Comments

Good Listener

flappy
Flapper is a very good listener… especially when I am telling him about the watermelon treats he will get to eat on Tuesday.

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August 23, 2010|Mr Flapper|2 Comments

Foster Care for Urban Chicken Castoffs

“From Chicago to Houston to South Portland, Maine, the urban chicken movement has taken hold. More and more city folks are raising the birds right in their own backyards. Some love the idea of fresh eggs; others appreciate the back-to-the-land aspect of tending to a flock.

There are animal rights advocates, however, who worry about the long-term welfare of the feathered fowl. As the number of city dwellers with chickens has risen, so has the number of birds being abused and abandoned. And local animal control departments are finding stray chickens everywhere from neighborhood alleys to downtown parking ramps.” – MRP.org

Meet Mary Britton Clouse, the founder of Chicken Run Rescue.

This is a story well told by Minnesota Public Radio. In our short time of having chickens here at Flapper’s house, we have seen the many problems with urban chickens first hand. People who view chickens as food or egg machines often times view them as disposable, or balk at the idea of taking one to a veterinarian if she gets sick. It’s cheaper to just throw one away and get another one, right?

Chickens are not egg machines. Chickens are not stupid. Chickens need more space and care and consideration than most urban farmers realize (do not follow the guidelines for space requirements set up by factory farms!)

Chickens and ducks deserve to live free from suffering and cruelty, just as every other animal (including humans) does. Just because chickens are cheap and disposable does not make their suffering any less real.

Chickens are not a fad.

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August 21, 2010|Rescues, Silly Human, Uncategorized|5 Comments

Chicken Talk

Olly Astro and Olivia are still both pretending that they don’t like each other. They’re very good actresses, but I think they’re starting to come around. Olly Astro has the upper hand now, and has become the alpha chicken, which has also calmed Olivia down a bit. Olly apparently decided she has been here long enough that she doesn’t have to take Olivia’s crap any longer. So now… the mutual standoff is as friendly as they get.

Olly Astro gets to eat first. That’s how she and Janet have worked it out.

janet
Then Janet asks if it’s her turn yet.

think
Olly Astro thinks about it for awhile, and eventually lets Janet eat.

janet
Janet would love to eat in peace.

oll
But Olly Astro keeps a close eye on the food at all times.

janet
So Janet takes BIG bites, in case her turn ends too soon.

Here they are settling in for the night and eating dinner.

They are both sweet, good chickens and we’re happy to have them here at Flapper’s house.

We even think Olivia might secretly like them… a little bit.

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|Rescues|3 Comments

Preening, Not Sharing

Flapper loves to preen his feathers when his pool is fresh and clean. But he does not like to share his fresh clean pool, and will charge anyone who comes near it… like Olivia the chicken.

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|Mr Flapper, Silly Human|2 Comments

The Usual Goofiness

flapper
We’ve been quiet here at Flapper’s house, but just because we’ve been busy. All is well. Flapper’s beak is peeling a bit, but that’s normal. Doesn’t hurt him. Happens once a year. Chewy is around, but he hasn’t posed for any photos this week. Olivia too.

It’s been kind of hot in Seattle, so Janet the chicken has been trying to stay cool by fanning out her feathers. She insists it is very civilized, but I think it looks goofy.

hmm
Olly Astro thinks it looks a little goofy, too. But it’s pretty hot in Seattle.

join
So eventually she decided to join in the fun. A nice dust bath didn’t cool her down, but it cleaned her up.

beverage
I have been staying cool with fruit icees made from fresh fruit from the local farmer’s market. Olivia shares them with me but the other chickens don’t care for them.

everybody
Olivia and Olly Astro still don’t get along too well, but they mostly avoid each other. As you can see, most everyone gets along okay as long as I keep an eye on them.

molty
The hot weather has caused Petunia to start molting. She leaves a pile of feathers everywhere she goes.

She’s still pretty though, even if she’s missing a few feathers.

simon
Simon is doing well. He loves hanging in the yard in the warm weather, and he prefers the heat to the rain.

that's all
That’s just about all the updates from here at Flapper’s house. We’re doing a lot of maintenance work on the yard, so we haven’t had much time for the interwebs. We’re having a tree taken out, trimming up the ivy, keeping everything watered and hoping it cools down soon.

We hope you have a good week. Chewy and Olivia send their best. They promise to pose for more photos this week.

cool
And Flapper says, “stay cool.”

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August 16, 2010|Mr Flapper, O'Malley Peepers, Petunia Peach, Rescues, Yard Stuff|8 Comments

Chewy and Flapper

Chewy wanted to check in tonight and just say hello.

Flapper was not quite as interested in chatting. He is not too fond of the camera.

Everyone is doing well. We’re having some major yard work done in and around Flapper’s night pen and aviary, so the ducks — and the people — are a little busy these days. But once that’s settled we’ll be back with more fun and more photos.

Quacks.

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August 11, 2010|Chewy Magooey, Mr Flapper|5 Comments

Chicken to English Translation

janet
Janet & Olly Astro are learning the ropes and getting into the groove here at Flapper’s house. They still have a little trouble knowing when to go to the aviary and when to go to the night pen, but they are fast learners.

perch
They love their new high perch in their night pen, and they hop right up on it when they are done eating dinner. It seems a little high to me, but they like it.

livi
Olivia likes her new perch, too. It lets her lord over Flapper & Chewy’s area.

house
And it also doubles as her nesting house.

I am learning a whole new set of chicken vocalizations with the new girls here, too. Racquel and Olivia had a lot of vocalizations, but they tended to get along, so I never heard them argue. Plus I think Racquel spoke a special muppet dialect of chicken language.

But Olivia has taught me a whole new set of terms now that Olly Astro & Janet are here. Olivia and Olly Astro argue a lot. It sounds pretty serious. I’m fairly confident that it contains both obscenities and threats. As near as I can translate, Olivia seems to be saying…

“I will cut you!”

and…

“If I see you near here again, I will knock you into next week!”

I think I also heard…

“Wipe that smirk off your beak or I will wipe it off for you.”

In response, Olly Astro seems to be saying…

“Why don’t you stand up and say that to my face. Oh you ARE standing, shorty.”

And also…

“Stuff a treat in it, Olivia.”

At least they’re talking. Janet is content to let them work it out while she eats blueberries and cherries and peas and romaine lettuces. And also grass. She loves to eat grass.

So far the arguments are all talk, but I do keep Olivia separated from Olly Astro & Janet. While I was hoping they would all get along, I think it is still good that Olivia has some entertainment. She was a little bored with Racquel gone, and she seems to enjoy being the mean old crotchety lady who yells at the neighbor kids.

She is definitely not bored.

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July 31, 2010|Rescues|7 Comments

Meet Jessie

Jessie is a duck being cared for by our good friends at Carolina Waterfowl Rescue. Jessie needs several more surgeries on his legs to help him have the best life possible, after severe neglect and abuse. Jessie was dropped by kids like a toy. And when he was “broken,” his family took him to a vet to be euthanized. This is just one of the many terrible, terrible tragedies that happen when people treat animals like disposable toys. Jessie–and all animals–deserve so much better from us.

jessie duck
If you are in a position to help with Jessie’s surgery bills, you can donate at Carolina Waterfowl Rescue’s website here: