Mama and Daddy Duck

OK, so here’s the thing! Last Saturday morning Sandi came and got me “look there’s two ducks in the back yard” she said and to my amazement she was right. there they where just walking around, a mama and daddy mallet, like they knew what they were doing, turns out they did! My first thought was we have to keep Bennie, our crazy wild jack Russell Terrier, in the house and away from the ducks then of coarse wake everyone else up in the house to see the ducks! With everyone at the screen door peering out like there was a 5 headed person out there I called animal control, I was worried because we don’t live near a pond but more importantly I wanted to know how in the “H” we’re going to get the ducks back to there home. As most of you know I’m not one with nature let alone any kind of wildlife expert. The man on the other end of the phone was very helpful and told me not to worry that ducks sometimes wonder away from their “home” and that maybe they have a nest around the house. I’m thinking no way. During my phone call Lauren, my oldest sons girlfriend, went outside and that’s when she discovered the first egg! There it was in this grassy plant thing (I have no idea of the name) that divides our neighbors driveway and ours. With amazement we all went outside to look. She must have laid the egg sometime on Friday. Now we know why they were hanging out in our garage and yard.
After a couple of hours the mama and daddy duck left. Hours had gone by with no sighting of them. I was really getting worried. Did we scare them away? Will they ever come back? Will I have to raise this little duck alone? Will it be OK with two moms? All these questions went through my head. Then I remembered another friend of ours told us the same thing happened with them and that the mama duck left at night and came back in the afternoon. OK I thought I’ll give her one night before I take the little ducky under my wing. Sunday morning there she was, mama duck sitting on her egg protecting it from Bennie and the crazy humans that have now made her and her egg their new science project! I wonder what she’s thinking when were staring at her? I can only imagine!
The mama duck sat for hours we actually left, I know it’s hard to believe we left, when we came back mama duck was gone and OMG there was another egg. I’m still wondering why she keeps leaving her little eggs alone at night. Is she a duck of the night? Is she cheating on the daddy duck? Is the daddy duck so lazy that mama duck pregnant has to work the midnight shift? Again, all these questions were going through my mind. But, Monday morning she was back sitting on her two little babies. Again, she left and there was another egg. Can you believe it? We were so excited we had to go get the neighbors across the street to check it out!
Now I’m getting used to her crazy schedule and not worrying about them as much at night. I do still worry that another wild animal might eat them but I trust that mama duck knows what she’s doing and can keep her babies safe!
Tuesday morning I leave for work as I’m pulling out of the driveway for work mama duck is waddling in for her daily sit, we give each other the “whata up nod”. I think she’s getting comfortable with us as we are her! Tuesday night same routine the mama duck leaves and there another egg. Now we have 4 eggs.
Wednesday morning same routine me and mama duck give our nod passing in the driveway. I’m sitting at my desk at work when the phone rings. It’s Sandi she’s so excited she can hardly talk. The mama duck had been there again but this time she must have laid two eggs. YES, I said two!!! We now have six eggs. I can’t believe it. How many eggs will she lay? Is she ever going to stop?
So I did what any twenty first century person would do .. I ran a Google search on Mallard ducks laying eggs. And to my amazement and excitement they can have up to 15 eggs. Holy shit! What will she do with 15 babies? Oh and guess what? The daddy duck he hasn’t been around since the first day! Where in the “H” is he at? Just like a man to leave a woman to do all this alone or maybe just maybe he found out that mama duck is a whore and has been sleeping around and those are not his ducklings! Oh my, the drama!
Today it’s Thursday and I’m waiting anxiously by the phone for the call from Sandi with the news of more eggs.
Stay tuned for updates!