A lonely duck raised on a Nicomen Island farm, just east of Mission, has recently found a new home with other birds after losing her two best friends to coyotes.
Earlier this summer, coyotes were able to get into Fraser Valley Rose Farm and attack the ducks, killing two of three that had been raised together since birth, said owner Jason Crouth, in a Aug. 4 video posted to his Youtube Channel.
Ever since, the little black duck has become attached to humans.
“She is lost without her friends,” Crouth said. “She can’t stand to be away from you.”
Crouth said that ducks are extremely social animals that like to hang out in groups, rarely waddling far away.
He said the duck walks at the heel of any member of his family that is outside, even trying to waddle behind him when he was mowing the lawn.
When they’d go into the house, she waited outside at the door, Crouth said, adding once the duck walked all the way to a neighbouring farm to be close to humans. The neighbour had to walk her back.
“I got a knock on the door and there was the duck and my neighbour,” he said.
Crouth said they had to find a new home for the duck as their family had a vacation planned, and didn’t want to get more ducks until the coyote situation was safe and under control.
Luckily they were able to find a foster family, his wife’s niece raises ducks and chickens on Pender Island. Like Crouth, she also runs a Youtube Channel.
She made the journey by ferry earlier a couple weeks ago.
Crouth said the duck is getting along well with other birds, but still likes to follow humans around, even sneaking off to a neighbours again.
“Apparently she’s up to her old antics just fine, but it sounds like she’s having a really good time over there,” Crouth said. “I’m quite happy to hear it.”
