Living in an urban setting with neighbors close by, I quickly realized Galantis would need a new home. Neighbors weren't angry, but it was noticeable that her quacking was getting on the nerves of all of them and sadly, me too. So, I began the search for Galantis's new home. As she quacked loudly in the backyard about everything, I looked up and messaged area farms that had ducks.
But nobody wanted a lone duck to add to their tight-knit flocks. Introducing a new duck to a flock can be bad all around. As the days went on, and her quacking grew louder, I feared that I would never find her a place to live. My other three ducks were starting to pick up on her behaviors, and I feared I was going to have to get rid of all four of my birds.
Then, one afternoon a friend told my husband about a place just outside of town that had domestic ducks on a large pond with a gazebo. He had said that the elderly couple usually took in ducks. I called them immediately and they said to bring Galantis over, and that they would love to have her join their tiny flock of random ducks. I was so relieved. We found Galantis her countryside retreat where she could be her loud, quacky self.
The next day, I gently wrapped my quacking Galantis in a towel and hugged her close to me. My daughters tearily said their good-byes to one of their favorite ducks. My husband helped strap Galantis and myself into our minivan, and he drove us out of town towards Galantis's new home.
Probably the strangest thing I'd ever done - been a passenger in a minivan with a duck wrapped in a towel hugged gently to my chest. She nibbled my chin, and quietly observed out the window. I was worried she would quack in the van, but it was the quietest she had been for a month.
Thirty minutes passed, and we finally came to the country retreat for Galantis. There was a beautiful pond, a gazebo, fields, rolling hills, and plenty of space to quack it up. I carried her out of the minivan, gave her a hug, and let her loose. She quacked and ran right back to me as I tried backing away. I shooed her into the pond. She liked the pond, but then jumped out again and ran back towards me. However, as she ran towards me, the resident ducks came waddling over to meet her. She was suddenly distracted by them, and they all quacked greetings and then waddled their way into the pond together.
My husband and I crept back to the van, got in, and drove away. My biggest fear was that I'd come home to three loud ducks - that they had picked up on Galantis's super quacks. But what I came home to was a silent yard. My three remaining hens were quiet, and seemed uncaring that one of them had gone missing. My yard is still quiet, weeks later. And now I know that a Blue Swedish is not a good fit for an urban setting - they are quite loud - and they need a space where they can be loud. And I'm sure she's enjoying the pond and her new duck friends. I'm so thankful we could find her a new place to call home.
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| Galantis being eyed up by the new misfit group of ducks. Two of the ducks are male Black Swedish ducks - a perfect match for a Blue Swedish to reproduce. |
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| Galantis and the new gang checking out the pond. |
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| Galantis - the duck with the constant wing flapping and loud quacking - too much personality for my urban yard. May she be having fun on her extra acres and pond. |
