My duck, Quackers, died this morning, just short of her 14th birthday. She was the only licensed duck in the city of Hammond,Indiana, having been grandfathered in when the ordinance against owning fowl was implemented years ago. She is also in the history books for being a write-in candidate during the last mayoral election.

Quackers was a Mallard duck, rescued by me when she was 3 days old, on July 4th 2003. My husband and I were fishing at Wolf Lake Channel, when I heard a baby duck screaming about a couple of hundred feet from where I was fishing. I dropped my pole and ran over to where the sound was coming from. There was this 3 day old duckling, screaming, next to the body of her dead mother, who had been killed by a predator. There were no other ducklings around, and I assume the predator that killed the mother probably killed and ate them. I scooped her up, put our gear away, and took Quackers home. I had 2 different Vets look at her injured wing, but there was nothing they could do, and she would never be able to fly. I assume the predator had damaged her wing.

So, she became a house duck, since she would never be able to be released back into the wild. She was my youngest daughters constant companion, and my "Baby Ducky".
She had her own little pond we installed in the yard for her. She had partial run of the house, too. She followed me around like a puppy dog. She was sweet, and very affectionate. She loved to be held on my lap, and be petted like you would a cat or a dog. When she was running around, whether it was in the house, or my yard, I just had to look at her and say "are you mommy's baby ducky?", and she would lay flat on the ground, cheep like a duckling, and want me to hold her and pet her. She also gave hugs, where she would drape her neck over my neck. Last night, when she was starting to go down, she gave me 2 hugs.

I was getting ready early this morning to take her to the Vet, to see if there was anything they could do for her, but she passed away while I was getting ready to go. Yeah, I am crying my eyes out right now, and have been since last night. Quackers was given much love, and she gave total love in return. She is so missed.