Ducks Territorial Chickens Debate It

Late fall 2008: We are concerned about our Cayuga ducks. What will the ducks do when the weather turns to freezing and snow and sleet start to fall. Four of these ducks were raised on this pond but the mother was raised elsewhere. But all of them hold firm that the pond is their pond.

Only this fall did the ducks loosen up a bit and let the chickens, who were there first after all, come close to the pond.

The nine little chickens are finally standing their ground, challenging the ducks right to scare them away.

The four white hens, the bravest of the hens, lined up and just would not budge as the ducks tried to intimidate them. Strangely enough, the ducks allow Darth Vader, the black rooster, to mingle with them in the yard and near the pond. I often see Darth standing with the ducks.

However, Darth Vader, prefers to hang out with the hens. The morning that the ducks attempted to push the chickens away from the pond, the chickens clearly decided to stay put right where they were.

You'll notice three black ducks in a row along the left side of the picture and four white hens and a gold rooster on the right side. Darth Vader is standing almost in between both groups (he's the black rooster with the red on his head).

When it was clear to the ducks that the chickens had finally had enough bully bully, all the ducks turned away and moseyed off to the birdbath for awhile.