A Bad Experience

During the time that her pen was still open, Pipke sometimes went to the meadow behind the garden on her own and, one time she had been really lucky!

We only discovered that she had luck that day because a kind neighbor told it afterwards.

Here follows what happened.

As I told you already, Pipke was always interested in someone with a *shovel in his hands.

She associated *this with “earthworms”.

In the meadow

Searching for earthworms with Opa and the chickens!

Spring 1997

So - one afternoon - while we were not home - she went to the meadow because she had seen there one of our neighbors gardening with a shovel on his vegetable plot.

Of course – she wanted to look for earthworms with him - she was used to do that together with my hubby - but - that neighbor didn't like that at all.

I fully understand that he didn't want to be bothered while he was working but, he was so cruel to give her a stamp with his clog! He shouted loud while he hunted her away and so she ran very scared to the other side of the meadow. Unfortunately - there she came out on the roadway - a very dangerous place for her! Luckily she knew the danger of the roadway and she was so clever to run away to one of our neighbor's front garden.

That neighbor found her there - totally in panic. She was there looking for a way back home. He and his wife tried to catch her but, that went not so easy because she always ran away.

Eventually they managed to catch her and they were so kind to put her back over the fence into the meadow so she could go back home on her own. They saw her running home towards the little gate in the fence as fast as she could.

We didn't know what had happened on that very afternoon because we'd found Pipke swimming in her pond when we came back home. We only learned to know it because the neighbor who'd found her in his front garden told it to us that same evening.

We were relieved that this bad experience ended well, but we are still angry at that gardener because he had endangered her.

He could have put her over the fence, he even could have closed the little gate of her pen.

But- that's how it goes. Not everyone has the same good feelings towards animals. Actually - he wasn't a person who really loved animals. He never treated them with respect, for him they were only objects. He behaved very indifferent against animals. They couldn't touch his heart.

He told us afterwards what had happened with Pipke at his plot as if he'd done nothing wrong.

Of course he had the right to work on his plot without being disturbed by (in his eyes) a silly duck, but he had not the right to stamp her with his clog!

That is ultimately animal cruelty.

The Winter that followed (1996-1997), Pipke was alone in her pen without the bossy Chicky and she had no problem at all with the cold. She spent most of the time swimming in her little pond, but she wasn't so keen on snow! When my hubby went to her pen in the early morning to let her out she sometimes refused to step into the snow – she really didn't like cold feet! She then laid herself on her belly in the snow, to warm her feet between her feathers.

She didn't like cold feet!

That was so funny to see! 

When I called her she then jumped up - and while her toes barely touched the ground - she flew towards me!

What had happened with the vegetable gardner was a bad experience for her and, luckily it ended well. 

The story shows how cool and how insensible "some people" behave towards animals. 

Luckily there would follow many funny events. 
Next time I will tell you about such one.

Then I will go further with: A Bet.

Hope to see you then !

Thanks for reading my life story.

One stays alive as long as someone thinks of  you.

Missing Duck: Distributing Flyers!

Now she had spent almost 28 days and nights in the woodland. She had made nests at several spots. Every time that we had called for her, she had answered, but then – one late afternoon – we couldn't find her. We screamed and yelled – but she didn't answer our call. We spent several hours looking for her.

Because we couldn't hear her call we went deeper into the swampy woodland.

On our rubber boots we slogged through the brooks – we were really desperate. We were afraid that the worst thing had happened.

The sun was almost down when we went back home, both having tears in our eyes and hoping that we could find her the next morning.

We couldn't sleep well that night. 
In the very early morning we went back to look for her, but – again we couldn't find her. 
Oh I felt so desperate!

Had we lost her … what could we do to find her back?

We wanted to do anything to find her. We had to undertake something.

Therefore - my hubby printed flyers with the following message:

 “If you have seen a white duck with a crest in your neighborhood, please call phone n° .........   Good reward for the finder”.

 

One hour later we had already distributed them.

 

We stayed home, waiting for a phone call until late afternoon, and in between we both went to the wood separately to look for her, but every time without success.

The sun was already setting when we both went back that evening – we had to find her. Again we started to shout while we went deeper and deeper into the bunch when suddenly – it seemed as if we were dreaming – we heard her quacking at a spot very far away where we hadn't been before!

We went to the place where her call came from, and there we found her.

She had built a new nest there - and oh - she was so thrilled to see us, she “screamed” (yes she could scream) and we both got tears in our eyes from happiness.

You had to hear, how elated she was to see us there. As always, she covered the eggs very diligent with tiny twigs and grasses. After she'd done that task she inspected her nest and without we had to ask it, she followed us back home - full of joy - quacking very exuberant loud the whole way back.

(That was such a beautiful touching moment : I still remember this as if it happened yesterday! These beautiful sweet memories still brightens up my days)!

You can't image how happy I was that we had found her safe and sound.

The day after our neighbor told us that he could hear her the whole time. He was actually afraid that there was something wrong with her because she quacked this time so loud and so long!

 

Coming home you can imagine. We cuddled and hugged as if she had been away for ages.

Then we took a decision: from that moment on – we would close her pen!  We did not want the same would happen again.

This was really hard for her! She wanted to go back to her nest in the woodland. Oh she was so restless.

I tried to distract her attention from the woodland, so I went with her to look for good nesting places in our garden. I took twigs and reeds and arranged them as a nest and I encouraged her to help me with it.

It took her a few days to get at ease again, but from then on she made her nests in our garden and most of the time we did it together.

That year she laid about 94 eggs, and every time she had laid one (when I was home) she came calling for me. I had to see the result. It was beautiful to see how she had lined the nest with her fluffs. She had plucked them from of her chest to do this. We both covered the nest then carefully when she left it. Sometimes she also sat incubating the eggs the whole day long without eating. She really could become exhausted from it. We sometimes could “hear” when she was laying her egg because she sometimes had a problem with it. I really think she must have suffered then, at least that's how it sounded.

I'm only showing you this small film picture to let you hear how she sounded when she'd *egg-binding. It wasn't easy to find the correct translation for this *problem. In Dutch it's called: legnood. 

Maybe I better explain it as: “She had a problem to lay an egg”.

In a normal situation a duck lays about 10 eggs per nest, and if there are signs of life in them, then they start to brood on it. Pipke kept on laying eggs, because they weren't inseminated (obviously). She heard no life signs in her eggs – and this would become a very big problem for her in the future. 
About the future I will tell you later.

Then I will continue with: A bad Experience.

   

See you!

Living in the Woodland

July-August 1996   

Again it was mating season.               

She had already made a few nests in our garden between the reed, but – then suddenly she was again interested to go to the woodland. 
As the time before we opened the little gate in the fence towards the meadow again so that she could go to the woodland. The first time - we went together with her to see where she preferred to make her nest so that we knew approximately where she was. We imprinted the place she had chosen as good as we could so that we could find her much easier when we came to look after her later. We then left her there, although we weren't at ease because we had seen there a stray dog, but - she had made her choice and we wanted to respect this.

Once a day we went to look for her and then we called to her there. 
She always answered then by quacking very loudly. 
It was every time a real relief to find her there safe and well. She was really excited to see us there. Before we left she to care to her eggs. She covered them with twigs and dry grasses very careful so that you couldn't see them anymore. The whole way back to home she quacked then so loudly – that sometimes the neighbors asked us afterwards if there had been something wrong with her. 

Back home, she ate as much as she could and she washed herself in her pond. We cuddled and spent time with her until she wanted to go back to her nest.

While we accompanied her on the way she could be so full of joy. She really seemed to be pleased that we went together with her.

We followed her as long as we could but then we had to stop when she entered the dense woodland. 

Entering the woodland.

She then first went to the ditch there, and after awhile sifting/sucking mud we saw her then swimming away with mixed feelings.

On the one hand: seeing that - it was so catchy - our sweet little girl was now grown up! But: on the other hand - we also were worried for her safety.

It was every time with a heavy heart that we saw her leaving.

Sometimes she had made a nest at another spot without we knew it. Then we had to scream and yell to find her and we only could find her then because she answered. She went deeper and deeper into the woodland and therefore we had to wear our rubber boots because the place was so swampy.

Then on one day; again we went to see how she was doing on her nest! 
From the moment she saw us she there she came to us without taking care for her nest. 
When she approached us we backed off  because she smelled so awful. The stench was really unbearable! 
She also really looked terrible. The feathers of her chest were smeared with rotting egg yolk and so we realized what had happened. She had been breeding on the eggs so long that they started to rot and now they were exploded.

We found this so terrible for her. 
She had cared for her eggs so extremely well, we often could see how she turned them all around one by one so gently! It was so beautiful to see how she did that, and every time that she had left her nest she had covered the eggs with much care.

The whole way back home we kept distance from her to avoid the stench, and of course - the first she did back home was, to take a very extensive bath in her pond. That bath took twice as long as normal. 
She cleaned and preened even the tiniest little feather, but - she didn't succeed to make herself clean. The stinking egg yoke was too sticky and still kept sticking on her feathers. Therefore - I took her inside the house and in the sink of the laundry room I assisted her to clean herself properly. Now she seemed really exhausted: breeding such a long time had taken its toll.

Exhausted, taking a nap in the sink of the laundry room.

From the moment we put her outside she went to sleep in her dogs bed/nest.

After a good sleep; a good meal and some cuddles we went that evening back to the woods together with her. 
We presumed that she wanted to find a new and proper place for a nest, and - yes she did.

The first thing my hubby did the next day was cleaning her pond and refreshing the water.

Now her pond was clean and we: we were looking forward to see her soon again safe and sound!

But - where we were so afraid for would happen!

And what happened: the title of the next chapter reveals it already.

“Missing Duck: distributing flyers!”

I hope to see again!

 Bye, bye!

Choosing her Partner

Choosing her Partner

June 1996

Obviously, now she had laid eggs we knew she was sexual mature, but we didn't think on how this would influence her behavior towards us, and especially towards me.

We thought: she would just go on laying eggs, and that's it! 

But – already a few times before, I had experienced Pipke bit me, at least – that was what I thought it was.

It happened the first time in the period she had made her first nest in the woodland, and now – a half year later - she started to do it again, but with a lot more force than before. 
Sometimes she bit me so violent, that I had bruises on my skin. It happened every morning at the moment we cuddled in the laundry room.

I then noticed – when I stroke her on her back she calmed down a little – but from the moment I came in the environment of her bum she began to squeak very heavily and she then bit me with even much more force.

When I fondled her at that place she became very exited and she then raised her backside.

So - I discovered what this meant: she had chosen me as her partner.

This was her way to show me, that I was her mate. She wanted me to mate with her.

For granted: I couldn't mate with her – I am not a drake – but I had to do “something” to calm her down and it seemed cuddling her this way was the only way to do it.

After a while, I found out, she was already satisfied that I fondled her and gave her soft pats on her backside – or I squeezed in her tail. She enjoyed it – she seemed to see “this” as mating.

From then on we cuddled – (this way) – every morning during the mating season and after the “deed” - if she hadn't made a nest already - then I had to go with her outside. 
She quacked and waited for me until I came outside to look for a good nesting place. 
We then looked very diligent together for the right spot while she chatted the whole time. She then really could be a chatterbox, actually - we both talked nineteen to the dozen.

The reed was one of her favorite spots. We then stood there together, while she inspected the place.

If she had made her choice she started to squeak very heavily. 
(This way of squeaking was then totally different, it was actually repeatedly very short quacking.) 

Working together on her nest and chattering without ceasing.

This was her way to say: “This location will do!” We then both took some twigs and dry grass and so we started to build the basis of a new nest. The further completion of the nest she did herself.

If she had already built a nest, she went on her own to it. She then ran very fast towards it and sat on it until she had laid an egg.

After she'd done that, she came to call me. 

I had to come outside to look at it. Then we went together to her nest and very proud she showed me her newest asset. While I stood there to inspect her eggs she was so exited, and again - it was chattering without ceasing.

Consequently the nest grew to a total of at least ten eggs. 

A nest at an other place.

But of course - these eggs were not fertilized and she realized it because she could perceive no life in it.

Therefore she then made a new nest at an other place, but obvious - and unfortunately for her - without the result that she wanted to achieve.
Unfortunately for her, I could never give her what she would have wanted.

I never could have thought that a duck would choose me as her partner.

I could never have imagined that our bond would grow so close and I could love a little critter so much.

In fact, at that time I didn't know it yet: but - the time “together with her” would become 

“the happiest time of my life”.

About this happy time I will tell you in the next chapter entitled: 

Living in the Woodland July-August 1996.

Hope to see you again.

Bye bey!

Thanks for your visit. 

Her First Nest

Her First Nest

Begin April 1996 

                             

Spring was in the air. 

Now we had thought Pipke would be more at ease, now that Chicky was no longer there but: that wasn't at all the case.

Very impatient she ran up and down along the back side of the fence.

We saw she wanted to be outside the fence, in the meadow there behind. 

Therefore, we opened the little gate in the fence towards the meadow so that she could go out if she wanted.

For the first time in our life we saw her running all alone through the meadow towards the woodland.

Now we were really very worried.

She was now totally on her own. 

There was no one to protect her now. We really were afraid for her safety! Would she be safe out there?

The woods had no secure fence, everyone had access to the place. There could be stray dogs and even hunters, in fact: it wasn't safe.

We didn't know what she was doing there, but - because she returned home in the evening by herself to sleep in her pen we were less worried.

The next day one of our neighbors told us that he had seen her there - just outside the woodland "on a nest"!

That was a big surprise for us! 

We didn't know that Pipke was a female!

Until that very moment it had always been a question ? mark for us. 

Only now we realized that the few light green eggs we once found in her pen, must have been “hers” and not Chicky's.

Without us knowing - Pipke had grown into a fine lady.

Of course, we were very curious to see where she was.

So we went to the place our neighbor had described to search her. 

We found her there, just outside the woodland, on her first nest.

This would become the most beautiful and highest nest she'd ever built.

Taking care for her eggs

You had to see and hear, how elated she was to see us there.

Very diligent she covered her eggs with tiny twigs and dry grasses and then she came back home with us.

The next days she went back to this nest. Thereafter she also made a nest at another spot, but then suddenly - a few days later she didn't go to her nest anymore.

In fact: we were very relieved, now we didn't have to worry for her safety any longer.

From now on she assisted us with everything we did in the garden: pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedge, we were never alone. Insects or bugs - they got no opportunity to expand excessive: she kept that in balance.

Working in the garden became now “entertainment” instead of a chore for us.

However, we had to take care where we stepped. Sometimes it was even dangerous for her. 

We had to keep an eye on her with everything we and she did. 

Sometimes she stood right behind our feet (to catch bugs that jumped up while we were working) without we knew it and: a few times it happened that we stepped by accident on her tiny paws.

It was heartbreaking to hear then how she squealed very loud from pain.

Then tears came to my eyes and I could really be mad at myself.

I tried to comfort her then. I then took her up, massaged her bruised paw and cuddled her over again and again. It even happened that she was limping afterward and then we were very worried, but eventually - to our great relief - it healed well.

Although she was cautious for the lawn mower – she knew the danger very well - “the spade” was something else. She associated it always with worms, her special treat.

                     

See our insects controller/assistant gardener in full action!

So we had to be very careful if we'd the spade in our hands and she was in our proximity.

That Spring our garden got an extra portion of natural fertilizer.

Pipke was the one who took care for that also, and our young plants: they grew very abundantly!

After Spring comes Summer!

About that Summer 1996, I will tell you later.

Then I will go further with: Choosing Her Partner. 

Hope to see you then!

Bye, bye!

PS: sorry for the poor quality of the footage, but at that time we used an outdated video camera that gave not such good results.