Kirkleatham: the story behind these three cute ducks

IT started with six duck eggs placed in our incubator – we had decided to hatch and hand rear some ducks to take part in our flying displays and school visits – and little did we know then just how popular they would become.

Chop Suey loved the garden

Of the six runner duck eggs (a tall slim breed) only one hatched – a tiny, fluffy duckling who we named Chop Suey. She was an incredibly needy baby – ducklings follow their mother everywhere from birth and Chop Suey did this with us. At night she even slept in the bedroom of one of our volunteers, in a little box by the side of the bed.

Chop Suey as a youngster

By the time she was an adult she was a star and taking part in the displays – not letting the fact she was flightless hinder her – she would run rather than fly.

She visited schools, libraries, care homes and even went to church – for a talk we were giving. Her “party trick” was running around a room eating sweetcorn from people’s hands – she would do anything for sweetcorn, she would even wear a little bow.

Chop Suey with her bow

Sadly, Chop Suey died aged just four, from cancer, leaving everyone rather devastated. Luckily, before she died, she helped to train her understudy, Daphne – a big, brash and often “ready for a fight” duck, who is a very different character to the “classy” Chop Suey.

Daphne had originally been a pet, growing up in a house in Middlesbrough, before we were asked to give her a home. Daphne (we never found out what breed she is) stepped in and became as big a star as Chop Suey.

Daphne

In the past year, Daphne has been joined by another little runner duck, Ozzy, who like her two compatriots has become a star member of our display and education team.

Ozzy, front, and Daphne take a nap

Just the other day we were asked about Chop Suey by a young man of about 17, who remembered her visiting his school many years earlier – everyone remembers the ducks’ visits. Chop Suey, Daphne and Ozzy are definitely our superstar ducks.