IntroDUCKtions – Meet Krümel the part-time House Duck

Last updated on August 25th, 2024 at 06:23 pm

My Name

My Name is Krümel. That is a German name and translates to crumb. They gave me that name because I was tiny as a breadcrumb when Mom and Dad found me. As it turns out, I also eat every crumb I can find on the floor, so the same still fits 🙂

My Breed

I am a Khaki Campbell duck, a smaller brown duck. Even my bill and feet are brown. I am supposed to be a good layer, with over 330 eggs a year. Let’s see. And because of my small size, I can fly.

My Journey

That is an interesting story. On August 5th, 2022, I showed up at the fence of my new home. I was a tiny duckling, about two days old and lost. I was following the noises of the other ducks and ended up at the fence right next to their coop. I was very lucky that Dad heard me peeping and wandering through the dry leaves that afternoon. He immediately told Mom: Hey, there is a duckling! She wouldn’t believe him at first because it was so unlikely. But it was true. Soon, she came out to pick me up. They were looking for my mom or siblings, but no one was in sight. So they took me in and set up a brooder for me in no time. Since I was still soooo young, I still needed a heating plate. Luckily, they also still had duckling food.

From that day on, I lived in their house in my playpen. I received a lot of attention because I am a single duck. I was too small to be with the other ducks. I was allowed to be outside every day for a bit to meet the others from a safe distance. The older I became, the longer I was allowed to interact with them.

I received many cuddles. I would always sit on Mom’s lap or shoulder and snuggle with her. She also took me to her office during the day so that I was not alone. The first few nights, she even slept next to me. No wonder I have a very strong bond with her. I am imprinted on her and still follow her. I am sometimes more human than a duck.

When I was old and strong enough, I was allowed to interact with the others fully and soon had regular yard time with them. But it took a while until I stayed outside during the day with them in the coop. I am friends with Ronja and Penny. Schnatterinchen is also nice to me. Emma was quite a bully in the beginning, and Hertha seemed to be terrified of me. She would always run away from me.

I am still not 100% part of the group, but we are getting along for the most part. But sometimes, it seems like I am the 5th wheel on the wagon.

It is still a mystery how I ended up with my new family. There are a few theories. One is that someone abandoned me there because they knew that there were already ducks and were hoping that I would be found. But seriously, they could have just knocked at the door instead of leaving me there, not knowing if they would find me. I could have died. A duckling at my age does not have many chances of survival out in the wild. I need food, water, shelter, and protection from predators.

Another theory is that I hatched out there and was lost or separated from my family. But there is no domestic duck out there that could be my mom.

What is my Character like?

I am a very spoiled part-time house duck. I am also very sassy and up for shenanigans. Since I grew up inside the house, and so imprinted on my humans, I still prefer to stay inside the house every night. As soon as the sun goes down, I demand to come in. I have my playpen, which is my nest for the night. But I am allowed to wander through the house when I am wearing my diapers. I am very adventurous and love to discover new things. I am the ruler of the house, and my humans do everything I want for me 🙂

And I need my cuddles with Mom and Dad.

When I am outside with the other ducks, I am usually a little bit of a loner. I am getting along with them, but I still prefer to keep a bit of a distance. During yard time, you often find me at places other than the rest of the flock. My best friends are Penny, Ronja, and Schnatterinchen.

I love water! I am spending the better part of the day inside a pool. Either the small one inside the coop or the larger pool in the yard. I love just to sit there or splash around. Also, when inside, I play with my small water bowl all the time.

I can also be very loud when I want something. When I want to go outside in the morning or when I want to get back inside, I start quacking very loudly. I am also a bit chatty and make cute duck noises when I am excited or happy. When I am preening, I sometimes make noises that sound like I a purring.

Because I am a rather small duck, I can fly. And I love to do that. I am not flying very high, but I can fly through our yard. The other ducks are sometimes jealous.

My Favorite Food

I am very picky…I only eat lettuce, shredded cheese, and grubs. When I am in a good mood, I will eat a few pieces of cucumber. Mom and Dad are desperate because I refuse to eat anything else. But in case you wonder, I also eat my duck pellets, so I am getting all the nutrients I need as a duck.