HouseDuck, HouseDucks, House Duck, Housegeese, HouseGoose, HouseChickens, it all sounds so KOOOOL. And it is for those that have the place, time and love for them to own these birds! The following information will apply to each of the above. (house geese, goose; house duck ducks; house chickens chicken chicks)

If you are renting your home. If you are living in a relative's home for free. If you do not own the home you live in..... please, do not "sneak" a housegoose or houseduck in for a pet. Even if they said you could have a bird. (you know they meant a small bird like a parakeet) You know for a fact they did not mean something as large or as loud or as messy as a goose can be. If you do not own your home ASK before taking home that adorable little duckling that is going to grow into a (possibly) 9 to 12 pound bird, 25 for geese.

The reason I am dogmatic on this one is two fold. Usually you, your neighbors and or your landlord will make you get rid of the bird about the time it is feathered out. What will you do with it? It has not been around other birds or geese or ducks or animals. It has not lived outdoors. You can not just dump it out in a park with a pond. So what will you do? The outcome of this is not good for the bird.

So I beg you. If they said you could have a bird, clarify. And if they say No to a housegoose, or housechicken or houseduck, please do not "sneak" one.

By the same token. If your parents or spouse says "no" to a houseduck.....really, please, don't cause trouble, the bird will loose in the end. Leave that cute little duckling in the cage at the Farm Store.

Don't call it a RESCUE. Don't pretend that you are doing the bird any good to bring it into a situation where you are the only one that wants to own and house it. If others in the family treat it unkind, if you become tired of changing the never ending diapers and or your Landlord puts the bird and or worse you and the bird out....how is this a "rescue"? The bird is the one who suffers. This is when the bird will REALLY need to be "rescued" from you.

Hamsters make nice pets for very busy people, especially those that rent. Hamsters are quite, take up very little space, eat very little, and only need to be cleaned, depending on the cage size, once a week. Hamsters do not need to get into your bathtub once a day, they do not need to or wear diapers, and they do not get loud like a watch dog or a scared duck.

HouseDucks on the other hand, you need to be warned, grow fast and become large. That cute little duckling you just brought home from the Farm Store will be a MINIMUM OF 20 times the size in less then 4 to 5 months. That sweet little duckling will need it's diapers changed, depending on what you are feeding it, just like a human infant, about every 1 1/2 hours, every day, day after day, yes, even on Christmas. When an adult, they need changed about like a human toddler, every four hours or so.

-- The Ducks In Diapers Team
Thu, 19 May 2011 09:16:51 -0400