We've been bewildered by our second season with our three pairs of Khaki Campbells. Not at all like the first where they were all for one and one for all and couldn't get enough of games in and around the pond. This season the boys were terrible and it was heartbreaking to see the fighting and competing and abuse of the girls...we thought we'd made a big mistake getting pairs.
First Charlie chased and picked on Hugo; then they both attacked Jack so badly he looked just whipped. Then they all looked to Claire. When she arrived, all blond and lively, her loud quack was so impressive it destined her to be the Fort Duck Floozy. By the end of summer she would just follow the boys around and she seemed to always walk hunched down to protect her neck. The poor girl was plucked clean.
A time or two we put them through some separation trials and that was the best thing we could have done, although I feared it would be forever. They accepted it. We had the advantage of extra wildlife fencing so just rolled it down the center and into the shed...a bit of a hassle for a duck sitter.
Then Charlie looked as if he were dieing. Hugo would go to him and with futility try and get him to follow. Fell in love with Hugo when I saw that...they are so dear, really.
Then Clair took up a vigil sitting by him through the fence while he just wasted away. I was convinced I'd find him dead one morning so planned a vet visit, but he started eating...was so underweight stressing over the girls...pacing back and forth all day along the separator fence.
They all moulted at different times and it took me awhile to understand that. We would let them all out to graze together sometimes but often it would be come an orgy. I thought when I read that the males sometimes would prefer the same duck, it meant one duck per drake....not all the drakes wanting the same duck. Whew!
Finally, egg production slowed, the boys half heatedly chased the girls, and the girls were moulting. we feared for Claire...the littlest and the weakest looking. Katie had learned some great ninja moves to escape the boys so she was always on solid ground health wise. Once Libby limped and we thought her foot was damaged in all the ruckus.
About September we realized the girls needed a chance to get their feathers back COMPLETELY. They spent about four weeks separated then one morning I heard that familiar old QUACK! It was Claire! She was beautiful, soft new brown feathers and in full form vocally. We've put them back together and they are their young playful selves again.
The girls seemed to avoid the pond while laying but now they are all playing and you'd never know there was anything at all complicated about raising pairs.
Eggs are just absolutely delicious...we will miss them...but I have plenty of quiche frozen.
The Fort Duck Khaki Campbell Lostees: Claire, Jack, Katie, Hugo, Libby, Charlie
