Post by Mitra on Jun 17, 2008 14:53:13 GMT -5
We had a very violent thunder storm last week. The kids, dog, and I got stuck in the barn about 200 yards from the house. The hail was marble-sized and the sound on the metal barn roof was just deafening. If we had wanted to run for the house, we would have been dodging lightning bolts. We decide to stay put until it slowed down a bit. We stood at the window and watched the fury outside. Lulu our lab was in danger of having a heart attack, she was trembling and panting so hard. Suddenly my DD yelled, "Why is Queenie out in the middle of the lawn all by herself?" Sure enough, there she was, being hailed on, just standing there and no other ducks in sight.
After the storm was over she was still a lone duck and I noticed that it looked like part of her head and her "Queen hat" were muddy and dirty. That night she reluctantly went into the barn but did re-join the other ducks. The next morning, when I was letting the ducks out of the barn I saw that her eye was gone! It's not just closed, it's an empty socket What in the world could have happened? I think if she was hit by lightning she'd be dead. maybe she was close to something that got hit and splintered and took out her eye. Another possibility is that it's the nesting pair of LARGE hawks that have been terrorizing my chickens. Maybe they thought they could grab a big fat duck?
There was no blood, so I have just left her alone. She's now acting like she always did and staying close to her duck family. I don't think they would have done this
She's literally a sitting duck now as I can totally sneak up to her on the side without the eye. I hope she continues to stick close to her duck friends or else she'll be an easy target for foxes and other predators.
She's still beautiful but my poor Queenie Duck!
Here she is talking to Porky a couple of weeks ago
Here she is with Jacques (he wears a beret)
And my favorite picture of her
After the storm was over she was still a lone duck and I noticed that it looked like part of her head and her "Queen hat" were muddy and dirty. That night she reluctantly went into the barn but did re-join the other ducks. The next morning, when I was letting the ducks out of the barn I saw that her eye was gone! It's not just closed, it's an empty socket What in the world could have happened? I think if she was hit by lightning she'd be dead. maybe she was close to something that got hit and splintered and took out her eye. Another possibility is that it's the nesting pair of LARGE hawks that have been terrorizing my chickens. Maybe they thought they could grab a big fat duck?
There was no blood, so I have just left her alone. She's now acting like she always did and staying close to her duck family. I don't think they would have done this
She's literally a sitting duck now as I can totally sneak up to her on the side without the eye. I hope she continues to stick close to her duck friends or else she'll be an easy target for foxes and other predators.
She's still beautiful but my poor Queenie Duck!
Here she is talking to Porky a couple of weeks ago
Here she is with Jacques (he wears a beret)
And my favorite picture of her