1 Dead Duck

Warning:  This post includes pictures of a dead duck.  If you don’t like dead ducks, you should probably stop reading now.

The effects of chemicals (like Round-Up) are sad and real.

Let me begin by telling you how much we have enjoyed our ducks.  We have never owned ducks before.   We got our first 3 this spring.  They have names (Ping, Filbert & Sonny) and are regularly held, loved and bathed.

We LOVE having ducks.

They have been a joy since day one.

If you haven’t heard any of our duck stories here are some highlights:

• here (there’s a duck on my couch)
• here (there’s a duck in my sink)
• here (there’s a duck in my barn)
• here (Ping is growing up)
• here (Ping get’s a pool) and
• here (there’s a duck in my sink again)

We were so sad to find one dead in our little creek/pond.

We are not sure what got her.  It could have been the opossum who killed my meat chickens.

She could have just died.

Or it could have been Round-Up.

Since there were no injuries or signs of struggle I’m going with Round-up…..

Unfortunately, our neighbors recently sprayed a field across the street from our farm with Round-Up (twice).

Water flows down from their (round-up saturated) field into our creek.

This is terrible because our ducks swim in our creek and our other animals drink from it.

Part of me wants to move.  The other part of me wants to go over and tell the neighbors that they killed my baby’s duck.

I’m not doing either.  Although we may understand how bad all these chemicals (like Round-Up) are for our ground, food, water and ducks 🙁

……many people do not.

We are far from perfect here at our homestead.  I am always taking steps to remove chemicals and additives from our life.  It is hard – chemicals seem to be hiding everywhere.  Just when I think I’m gaining on it, I find some MSG in my pantry or Round-up in my creek.

Like other things we have to do the best we can with our situation.

I am thankful that in this situation the Round-up landed in a creek instead of a pond.  At least it is constantly flowing so, hopefully the Round-Up will move on down stream.  I realize this does not help the rest of our county or our local water, but it may keep more of our livestock from dying.

I am also thankful that there is a natural spring that feeds our creek.  This provides a constant source of fresh water coming from deep underground to wash the Round-Up away.

The other 2 ducks are doing fine and we are hoping the neighbors finished killing whatever they wanted to die and will stay away from the Round-up.  Ugh.

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Keeping my chin up!

-Candi