Couples at Zittrauerhof

I have already reported on one or two animals on the farm, but a few of our farm residents haven’t really had their say yet, even though they are among my favourites and delight every visitor!
There are four of them in their group, the “cock of the walk” is called Franz and the three ladies love him very much. They live together in their box in the new children’s barn. So they are among the smaller animals here at Zittrauerhof. My favourites are very frugal animals, because they only need soaked bread, grains and water to feel completely at ease. And they help me a lot with my gardening – because all the snails are gone in a flash! By now you know who I mean, don’t you?

The runner ducks love to quack across the yard and almost every day from the end of March we find a green egg in the stable! I especially like using these eggs for cooking – the roulades turn yolk-yellow… We leave some for them in the nest, maybe one of the ladies will start brooding one day :-)

They are descended from mallards and can be recognised by their long, upward-pointing neck and slender body. What is particularly striking is that they are not suited for flying and so need a lot of space to run. They have that with us, they are everywhere – also out on the fields and enjoying the large grounds.

And so Sissy, Franz, Lisa, Fanny are – unre duck police at Zittrauerhof. And you can be sure, they don’t miss a thing on the farm! You can see them waddling around constantly, checking if everything is still in the right place and if there isn’t a snail peeking out somewhere after all. I fetched two of these beauties with Grandpa Hias from Judith Müller in Radstadt, many THANKS again for these trusting, dear little animals.

You can also find the runner ducks at the fish pond, where they refresh themselves, or in our garden. And that’s exactly where I like them best :-))

Some might think that my dear ducks are only out and about in summer, because ducks in the snow is quite a funny idea.But even in winter they like to leave their tracks from marching in single file through the snow and do their daily rounds all around Zittrauerhof.

Best wishes from Franz, Sissy, Lisa, Fanny and your farmer Katharina