Darlene, The New Member Of Our Family Of Misfits

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

I love ducks.  A more innocent, funny, more sociable and goofy little creature is hard to imagine.

We raised geese for a while, and they were fun (I thought), but they can be a PITA also.  They can get big and ornery, and very protective.  I never had a problem with our geese, but a lot of other people did.  Unfortunately, we could never raise ducks here.  They'd just be "snacks" for the coyotes and owls in the first week.  Ultimately it was the coyotes, hawks and owls which made even chickens and geese not worth it to raise anymore either.  The predators were just a constant daily pressure, always lurking somewhere day and night, on the ground and from the sky.  Unless you kept them tightly penned up where they could never run around free, and stayed right with them every second they were out they were goners.

Rocky is the old man of the yard 

Rocky is a great protector but he is old as dirt. My Brother is going to be in a world of hurt when he goes, which is likely to be soon because Rocky is almost 20 years old.

He keeps saying he does not have the time to train another barnyard dog. 

I told him to get a donkey. At least they will take care of the coyotes.

He has a hen yard which is huge. Keeps the big animals at bay, and makes it easy for Rocky to manage. Does not do much with hawks and eagles. But I have a pond near by and they seem to have more interest is the fish most of the time.

Knock on wood. So far not much problem in that category for now.