Meet the Ducks
The Jumbo Pekins
Melo, Ava, Bea, Sheila, & Gloria
This group of five are friends from all different backgrounds. Melo was in the first group of ducks to ever arrive to the sanctuary! He was originally in a bachelor flock with two other males who were rescued from abandonment by Good Sprout Rescue & Sanctuary. We tried to make it work, but he just never got along with them! So we decided to build a new flock centered around his social needs, as well as the needs of the other Jumbo Pekin ducks of the sanctuary - and integrate the remaining two males into our mixed flock. Cue Melo now having four girlfriends to cherish and protect for the rest of his life! Bea, Ava, and Sheila were all rescued from abandonment from their own different cases through the rescues They All Want to Live and Fair Shake Microsanctuary before being transferred here. As for Gloria, she was surrendered by a private home who could no longer find the time to care for her.
Jumbo Pekins benefit greatly from having their own space to live. Because this breed was developed to grow rapidly for meat consumption, Jumbos will eat themselves to death and suffer from obesity and heart attacks if their diets aren't managed. This breed is also guaranteed to have leg problems within just a couple years of life, which drastically shortens their lifespan and requires medical treatment such as pain relievers and mobility aids. Having their own dedicated area means we can better monitor them and give them the best quality of life possible.
These friends all get along swimmingly, and are particularly laidback and friendly ducks. The girls all love to forage, make mud, and get their bills messy. They also love when people come to say hi, especially if there are snacks involved!
Chickpea & Sapling
With their sister Alfalfa, the two brothers Chickpea and Sapling found themselves dumped in a park at just a couple weeks old. Scared and dehydrated, they desperately ran to a nearby visitor, pleading for her to save their lives. They were minutes to hours away from death by exposure or predation. This individual chose compassion and immediately sought help from our friends at Greenmore Farm Animal Rescue, who transferred them to our care soon after.
Chickpea & Sapling are in their own separate bachelor flock where their space is managed to accommodate their ailing leg mobility. Both boys are doing exceptionally well in a small space where joint stress is mitigated, but they can still enjoy swimming, foraging, and each others' company!
It is the unavoidable leg conditions and disabilities inherent to Pekin ducks that are the reason why we oppose the intentional breeding of them. Please remember these sweet individuals and the plight they face next time you think of buying ducks.
Alfalfa & Winnie
These girls are two disabled ducks that live indoors! Alfalfa was found abandoned at a park at just a couple weeks old with her brothers Chickpea and Sapling. After she reached two years of age, her mobility began to decline due to degenerative arthritis. We discovered that her safety and quality of life is maximized by living comfortably indoors. She enjoys most of her time in her purple wheelchair, with swimming trips outside, and she spends her nights on a Tempur-Pedic pillow with cute duck plushies. She also gets to enjoy the companionship of Winnie!
Winnie is a temporarily disabled duck recovering from fibula fractures that occurred during her time abandoned at a campground in Ohio. It was there that Good Sprout Rescue & Sanctuary rescued and rehabilitated her. Winnie was in a state of malnourishment, with a severe mite infestation and a limp. During x-rays it was also discovered that Winnie has an inoperable nail embedded in her breast muscle. The campgrounds were not forgiving for poor Winnie. Today she lives in safety with her new friend Alfalfa, and we hope that she will continue to recover from her leg fractures and can one day join the other Jumbo Pekins outdoors!
"The Barn Restaurant" Survivors
Alberta, Ruth, Cordelia, Shay, Audrey, Opal, Peach, Delia, Matilda, & Wilhelmina
This group of ten girls came from a massive neglect case at a restaurant called "The Barn" located in Smithville, Ohio. Along with over one hundred other ducks, they were bought and abandoned by the restaurant owners and members of the public on a dirty, filthy pond located on the restaurant's property. Each year, the ducks would die and be repeatedly replaced by people who felt entitled to seeing them during their restaurant visit. These beautiful individuals were the last group to ever suffer on that pond. Their brothers and sisters had broken bones, nerve damage, severe emaciation, staph infections, lice, respiratory illness, and other indications of horrible neglect by the hands of a restaurant that fought tooth and nail not to relinquish them to safety. Good Sprout Rescue & Sanctuary worked for months (from November to March) to free them, and now all 109 ducks and geese live wonderful lives at sanctuaries and private homes.
These girls went their whole lives unnamed, unmonitored, and uncared for. Now they live in a place where they know they are free to be ducks in the safety of sanctuary. Ducks know when they are safe, and these girls are testament to that. They love to chase bugs, swim in our pools, and socialize with the other resident ducks. Some, like Matilda, are more outgoing with people - while others are more shy and skittish! They are all beautiful Rouen, Khaki Campbell, and Saxony mixes, flightless and dependent on humans for survival. We are so happy that the rescue community of central Ohio saved their lives and that these girls can live with us happily forever.
The Mixed Flock
Bean & Sprout
These buddies had numbered days before our lifesaving friends at Good Sprout Rescue and Sanctuary recovered them from a pond in the middle of winter. Without their hard work and sacrifice, we hate to think of what might have happened to these two. Domestic ducks aren't prepared to survive on their own in the wild. Especially during the winter, abandoned ducks face the threat of starvation, predation, injuries, and temperatures they cannot withstand. It is never a kind choice to release unwanted ducks to the wild.
The first individuals to join the sanctuary, these bonded friends can now live out their days together in peace and protection. Bean and Sprout are inseparable, Sprout's small stature an understatement to his fiery and commandeering personality. His loyal and mild-mannered buddy Bean is always by his side!
Peony
Peony is a Crested Pekin duck, which means she has a poofy hairstyle caused by her genetics. This breed of duck has existed for hundreds of years and selectively bred for this appearance! Unfortunately it means that they are at greater risk of developing neurological issues, and only 50% of the offspring of two Crested Ducks survive.
Peony came from a family that loved her, but who struggled to provide protection against predators. Peony became the remaining duck of her small family of brothers and sisters there. Wanting to do what's best for her, her family reached out to us to take her in and provide her safety. Since that time, Peony has shown us her adorable loud personality. She is always quacking up a storm! She has made friends with many ducks here, especially our Muscovy girl duo.
Ash & Olive
All too often, young animals are bought as toys or commodities for children to play with and then discard when the novelty dissipates. Unfortunately for ducks like Ash and Olive, life is never that simple. Every animal is a unique individual that requires appropriate space, nutrition, enrichment, and social opportunity. Buying and discarding animals risks their lives and creates pressure for sanctuaries that can only help so many.
These two will never have to worry about being treated like a toy again. Our little "black Olive" is an adorable ball of quacking feathers, practically glued at the hip to her best friend Ash. Ash is a quiet, gentle soul and compliments Olive's fiery energy. What sets them apart from other ducks is not only their intense bond, but also that they spend tons of time in the pool no matter what the weather is like. Olive is a prolific swimmer and Ash is her lifeguard!
Adelaide & Violet
Violet and Adelaide arrived to the sanctuary with our sheep residents Maeve and Babette! They came from a rescue-based farm that was closing down and needed a safe place for them to land. Prior to that, they came from the duck industry where they were either used for their eggs or intended to become meat.
These spunky girls are happy today, but it's clear that the duo have been through quite a lot. Violet is a victim of beak clipping, a painful process that has taken almost an entire inch off of her beak. Because of this, she has quite a nervous disposition and looks to Adelaide for support. Adelaide has a permanent red patch of caruncles on the back of her head from having too much male attention where she used to live. Luckily, these remnants of their past do not affect their quality of life today. These best girlfriends are always hanging out together, perching, foraging, and enjoying life!
Bette & Odessa
Bette and Odessa are two adult Khaki Campbells that came from a private home. They are very sociable ladies and quickly bonded with Faye & Wynne when those two arrived. They are also quite curious and energetic. Human company is no issue to them, particularly for Bette, because she had to stay in our infirmary for some time after arrival.
Bette arrived with a large sore on one of her toes called a bumble, causing an extremely painful condition called bumblefoot. This type of sore can be treated at home when caught early, but unfortunately this sore had progressed to the point that it required surgery twice. Surgery is quite dangerous for birds when anesthesia is involved. Luckily, Bette went through her surgeries like a champion and fully recovered, allowing her to use her foot for all the best ducky things again!
Faye & Wynne
These two ladies are also Khaki Campbells and best friends with Bette & Odessa! They are bonded sisters that came from a horrible past. They used to be locked in a dog crate, unable to swim or feel the sunshine on their feathers for years. They were missing most of the feathers around their faces due to their inability to clean themselves. Our friends at Good Sprout Rescue and Sanctuary took them in, rehabilitated them, and transported them here to live out their days in our flock!
Today, Faye & Wynne are little busybodies. They have completely integrated and made friends with many different ducks. They love being able to choose their mate and even boss the other females around. For being little ducks, they have big personalities.
Beatriz, Dogwood, & Henrietta
These girls came from a compassionate home that wanted to make the best choice for them despite their time constraints. So, these silly girls joined our family! Though they enjoy intermingling with the other guys and gals, they still join up as best pals when it comes time for a swim or when it's time for bed.
These girls are mischievous and full of personality. They often mount each other in the pool and stay up late looking for tasty bugs in the night. They definitely give me trouble when it comes time for bed. These gal pals have a very strong bond and do a lot of activities together. They also go crazy when it comes time for eggs! They have taught the other ducks that they can flock together and chase me around or even steal eggshells before I'm done cracking them all. Providing love and care for ducks can really make them into boisterous and confident people.
Mirage, Megumi, & Myrtle
This trio of sisters were saved by a Good Samaritan after their nest was abandoned. Their mom's body was found near the nest, and she was unfortunately an abandoned domestic duck that could have never survived and raised her ducklings in the wild. A kind young man saved the trio and their other siblings, and ensured that they would not become food for predators or abused by unkind humans at that apartment complex.
This beautiful trio of girls are all half Indian Runner, the breed of their mother. They tend to stick to themselves but all have distinct personalities. Megumi is the smallest and has a crest on her head, and she makes very loud quacks! Mirage is skittish and puts up a fight any time she has to be handled. Myrtle is the taller gray sister and has a more easy-going personality. They all love to swim together and forage with the other ducks!
Jetsam
Jetsam is a very unique boy. Usually abandoned ducks are fully domestic, but this guy is half Mallard! He was likely born in the wild, but his body was not suited to survive out there. When we spotted him on a city lake in Allentown, PA, he had a limp and was being picked on by the Mallard flock he was relying on for safety. Our board member Kyle nabbed him with a net, and we brought him to live out his life in a flock that fully accommodates his unique needs.
Because he is half wild, Jet is very small. In fact, he is our smallest duck resident! Even though Jet lacks the physical strain of excess muscle and fat like domestic ducks, he still cannot fly. That means he needs to be protected, and will enjoy these protections at Sweet Peace forever.
Dolce
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Dolce! This little duck loves to be high in the sky on height enrichment such as these straw structures we build for the ducks. Her favorite thing is to climb and be as high as she can get! Aren't the personalities of ducks wonderful? They are all true individuals. Dolce is a little buff girl just like Butterscotch and Cookie Dough, and though she came from a different lake, they all stick together as a group of friends. They tend to share Jetsam as their boyfriend, who is another lake abandonment survivor.
Dolce came from a lake in Allentown, PA where she was suffering with a gnarly sinus infection that made her cheek swell up with fluid. To be scared and abandoned is one thing, but being sick on top of that must have been terrible. She made a quick recovery with antibiotics at the sanctuary and the rest is history!
Butterscotch & Cookie Dough
Butterscotch and Cookie Dough aren't just named after sweet treats because of their golden brown plumage, but also because they are actually very comfortable around people. It's so sad that someone would lovingly raise them and then abandon them on a pond. Luckily, a volunteer of They All Want to Live was at the right place at the right time, and made it her goal to safely retrieve them after their abandonment was witnessed!
These girls are extra best friends with another lake dump victim of the sanctuary, Jetsam. They love to follow him around and bob their heads telling all the other ladies to back off! They are rarely seen without each other, though that might be to our advantage. Cookie Dough just has a few lighter feathers on her back than her sister Butterscotch. They are nearly identical twins and have so much fun together swimming, sunbathing, and chasing bugs.
Claire
Claire is a petite Indian Runner duck and unique in many ways. She was imprinted on humans from her previous care situation and took months to transition to be outside with the duck family. We had to do this slowly so that it's less traumatic for her. Ducklings should always be kept in pairs for this reason, which is so that they can develop the normal emotional and physical habits of ducks and this is prevented from happening!
Claire has a mobility disability caused by having a dislocated knee joint. Since she has had it since being a duckling, it does not cause her any pain, and is something her body has adapted to. It does make her movement slow and vulnerable, so living in an aviary with the rest of our duck family is a must. Claire is super sweet and sociable, and loves hanging out with her boyfriend Ash or the golden girls Cookie Dough, Butterscotch, and Dolce!
Sweet Peace Farm Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit animal sanctuary. All donations are tax-deductible.
EIN: 87-1864697 | hello@sweetpeacesanctuary.org
© 2023 Sweet Peace Farm Sanctuary, Inc. All rights reserved.
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