How are the ducks?
You can imagine after losing Georgie yesterday in such a violent, horrible way, the ducks are traumatized and so am I.
They are sticking close to the house, and I sat outside with them for hours today.
O’Malley seems the most upset, which makes sense to me. Georgie and O’Malley were together for a few years now, and O’Malley is also very sensitive.
Chewy stayed right up against the house and kept a careful eye on the yard. This is a “safe” spot for the ducks, but only when I am home. When I’m at work, this just isn’t safe anymore.
Petunia broke many, many blood feathers on both wings in her fight against the raccoon, but this wing is the worst. It is bruised and swollen from the trauma.
She also has a few sutures on her shoulder but will hopefully heal. She threw up a bit today but Dr Ford thinks it was because of the antibiotics. We adjusted her dosage and she has been eating and drinking well otherwise.
When it got too cold to stay outside any longer, I sat right inside the glass door and the ducks stayed on the deck.
Unfortunately the raccoon came back at exactly the same time as yesterday. I opened the sliding door and all the ducks ran inside the house very quickly.
Flapper was unwilling to go back outside for quite a while, and the ducks really get terrified when they sense danger now. They were literally shaking with fear.
Chewy kept watch over the yard, and after about an hour he decided he wanted to go back outside.
O’Malley and Petunia preferred to stay in the house, so they did.
Eventually, around 3:30pm, all the ducks went back outside and right into their predator-proof night pens. O’Malley is still the most terrified and upset, but I am hopeful that after a few days of safety in the pens, they will all feel more at ease.
They will not be out of their predator-proof pens unless I am with them any more. We will be building a much larger predator-proof day pen that encloses both of their ponds and surrounding area in the next few weeks or month. A few of you have emailed about donating money to the new pen or have donated to the Kozmo Kirby Memorial Fund in Georgie’s honor. I appreciate any donations to the fund, and those will be used strictly for rescues in the spring. I do not currently need financial help with the new pen, but I appreciate everyone’s offers so much. There are a few offers to physically help build the new pen, and I’m working to figure out how/when/what and will get back to everyone as soon as I can.
Thank you so much for all of the comments and tips and good thoughts and well-wishes. We all miss Georgie so dearly, but none more than O’Malley. Please send him your extra good thoughts tonight as he copes with the loss we all share.
Love,
Tiff
19 Comments
So nice to see the ducks again – their faces are so expressive. Hope they soon feel more settled. Special healing hugs to O’Malley.
What an amazing story, that the raccoon came back at that very weird time of day. I hope you get him right away, they are such killers. Poor sweet duckies. I’m glad Petunia is home and starting her healing. We love you O’Malley; hug your mama and feel better, handsome boy.
Sweet merciful Buddha I wish I could pitch in and help. I’m pretty handy with tools, and I sure as Hell would love to volunteer for sentry duty and cooking for the buddies. Dawn and I are wrecked with sadness for you and your duckies.
Please let me know if i can help out with some more muffins or anything else, eh?
Ahmitaba.
i hope you catch that s.o.b racoon shame on him Georgie is in all of are hearts
They all have little sad expressions on their faces =[
O’Maylley looks the msot saddest, especially look at his eyes D:
Makes me want to get to Seattle hug him T-T
Cheer up Tiff, you did your best, I bet Georgie is thankful for atleast rescuing her friends!
Thanks so much for posting the pics, we all needed to see how the duckies are coping with the tragedy.
O’Malley seems so depressed, not only bc he lost Georgie, but that he couldn’t protect Petunia, both of whom are his Scovy buddies. Poor O’Malley, I hope you feel better soon.
Petunia’s wing looks pretty bad. PLEASE watch for any flies or maggots on her. Mr. Quack Quack was injured once under his tail which attracted flies laying eggs there, causing maggots and infection.
Thanks so much Tiff, our good thoughts are all with you and duckies.
That photo of Petunia’s injury makes me cry. But thank you for the update, Tiff. It’s important for us to see what happened. She’s a tough little hen and she’ll pull through.
We’re grieving with you, Malley. We all loved Georgie very much. But Malley, where’s that strong, tenacious (and possibly “R”) alpha drake we know and love? There’s a lot of work to be done — namely, supporting and cheering mom. So let’s go, Malley! You can do it, dude!
Chewy loves to look out the window, doesn’t he? This reminds me of that photo from the original blog where he was looking out the window and fretting about his forever home, and you announced that his forever home would be right there. What a sweet Chewasaurus.
I can’t help but feel bad for the raccoon also. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and doing what nature intended him to do. I wish things had worked out differently.
I wouldn’t know one end of a hammer from the other. Me going out to Seattle and standing around uselessly isn’t going to be good for anyone. But if you can’t find anyone to help with the construction, let us know. Wayne can always build and I can supervise.
If all money received is to go into the Kozmo Fund and be used strictly for duck rescue, I feel like something should be done in honor of Georgie. It’s not my decision, of course, but one thought I had was to name the new pen the Georgie Memorial Duck Pen. (How cool would it be if it were teapot-shaped???)
I am so very sorry for your loss! Everybody that reads this blog is heartsick I am sure. Loosing a member of your family in that way is devistating.
I may be remembering my wildlife science classes wong, but Raccoons are noctournal right? Could this be a sign that the raccoon in question is rabid? Its a horrible thought, but I could be complely wrong (this is why I am a musician not a scientist!)
I will send good Karma your way. Even though I ahve never met you or the ducks, I love reading about all of you!
I know this is such a heartbreaking loss for you, and I’m so, so sorry. Thank you for sharing your story with us – it must be very hard for you to talk about. I’m thinking of you and your ducks, and I wish you the best of luck with your new building project. I hope that once it’s finished, they’ll know they don’t have to be afraid anymore.
I’m so sad, especially when I look at O’Malley, bless his little heart. Sending warm thoughts and prayers to you Tiff and all your duckies.
I’ve been quiet because I don’t deal well with this terrible ordeal.
They are not my ducks but I’m feeling your pain like they were mine, I know each and everyone so well. I’m just so very sorry and feel so powerless.
I hope Malley will be feeling better soon, his heart must be broken. All my best for Petunia, it’s so sad and painful to look at these pictures of her.
And all my love for you, Chewy and Flapper.
I’ll be in touch.
Ducks are so smart. They still know there is danger there and are prepared for flight just in case. I am praying for a fast recovery for Petunia. I’m sure she is traumatized and in pain. We look forward to seeing the new enclosed pen. Take care Tif.
Oh, I feel so bad for the ducks – and the raccoon, actually; since as you pointed out he has no idea what he did wrong! Just a terrible situation for everyone involved. I am sending massive duck-hugs and good thoughts to everyone, especially O’Malley.
Poor duckies — hugs for everyone, especially Petunia, O’Malley, and TIFF! Much love, and I hope that the trauma passes swiftly.
((HUG))))
I am SO sorry for your family to be going through this tragic and very sad happening… we are all so upset…
oh dear… Peace to all your hearts…
Pringles isnt a goose of many words but his heart hearts for his friends.
: (
Tiff,
So sorry to hear about Georgie and to hear of the sadness the others are feeling with his loss.
Thinking of you,
Kera
I hope that Petunia feels better really soon, and I’m sending good vibes in O’Malley’s direction.
I’m so sorry to hear about Georgie! I also just lost my Daffy who I had for 7 1/2 years and know the pain you feel. Best wishes to you and the ducks!