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A cream curly-coated cat sits on a mat beside six yellow ducklings near a wire fence with hens in the yard beyond. 4 / 34

Six Ducklings Went to Meet the Backyard Hens. Their Chaperone Looked Skeptical.

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On one side of the wire, the big birds scratch and cluck. On the other, a much smaller flock is gathered on a doormat, and a cream-colored Devon Rex is keeping a close eye on things. The cat sits upright on a gray mat with her wavy coat, oversized ears, and pale golden eyes, glancing sideways with a slightly skeptical look. Six fluffy yellow ducklings press together beside her, peering through the chicken wire at the brown and red hens wandering their run. Garden pots, a pair of muddy boots, and stepping stones fill the path around them.

Ducks and chickens are often raised together on small farms and in backyards, but they have different habits. Ducks love water and tend to make a muddy mess of it, while chickens prefer dry ground and roosting bars. Ducklings also have slightly different nutritional needs from chicks, including a need for adequate niacin as they grow, so many keepers look for feed suited to waterfowl or ask a farm supply expert for advice. Keeping young birds separated from adult chickens until they're bigger is a common practice, since full-grown hens can peck at newcomers. A secure fence, like the one here, also protects them from predators.

The hens don't seem particularly interested in their tiny visitors, but the ducklings are fascinated. Their curly-coated chaperone, meanwhile, is content to let them look as long as they don't wander off.

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