Treats

For us, the best part about owning a small flock of ducks is giving them treats. Especially if you can feed them by hand. You get to see every detail of their feathers. And the more demanding ones will actually look you straight in the eye while waiting for you to produce the next bite. Over the years, we have discovered that there isn't too much a duck won't eat. Bugs are, by far, the all time favorite - from tiny mosquitoes to fat, juicy caterpillars to great, big black beetles with huge pinchers.

I hate bugs. They give me the "creeps" to have to touch them.

So what could be more fun than watching a duck devour one?!

Eat my rose bush will you? Here ducky, ducky!

Tomato plant tasty? Here ducky, ducky!!

Another favorite - chopped tomatoes - including the caterpillar that was in one!

Badminton birdies make great grasshopper catchers for the bug wary. Sometime I'm feeling brave enough to grab my quarry by the back legs and hand it to a lucky duck. But if I'm not brave that day, my ducks don't hesitate to reach right in and grab their prize.

Gotcha! Here ducky, ducky!!

It only took the Holderreads gang 30 seconds to empty the tray!

Probably our greatest discovery is that Japanese beetles can be knocked off the plant into a container of plain water and they can't get away! They grab onto each other, but can't fly away. I guess their wings get wet or they just get confused. A small plastic dog dish will hold just enough water to do the job and yet be portable enough to move about within a rose bush. I can often just knock the beetles into the water and never have to touch them. Upon entering the duck yard, I either pour the beetles in the duck pool and let them "fish" or dip my finger in the bowl and catch a beetle on the tip. Then I can feed individual ducks and make sure everybody gets some. (But I can only do that for alittle while 'cause their little hooked feet start "freaking me out".)

A small bowl of plain water and 90+ Japanese beetles.

This page last updated August 23, 2003.

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