Smarter than I thought

I had a surprising encounter with the two ducks last week, when I brought some cabbage leaves home for the chickens.  I gave most to the chickens in their yard, but Girl Duck was quacking at me so I tossed a few down for her, which she set to eating at once.  But then as I walked back to the house, she followed me, quacking more.  Unsure of what she wanted, I waited for her as she walked past me to the water butts and the empty drinking tub there.  She stopped at the tub and quacked again;  so I went over and filled it up.  She backed away quickly, so as not to let me too close to her, but when I stopped she came right over, squeaking this time (the "happy" noise) and got her head right under the water, not even caring about where I was.  That's the first time I've ever had a duck show me what she wanted, like a dog or cat might--certainly I've not had a chicken do so.  I never gave ducks much credit for brains, but maybe they are smarter than I thought.

After months of being locked in their yard, the chickens finally got their first hour of free range yesterday, as our back door has been replaced (it both opens and closes! unlike the old one).  It was too much trouble to walk all the way around from the front door so I didn't bother, but I will let them have an hour a day now as long as no avian flu restrictions come into place.  The ducks themselves have been mostly free ranging all autumn, though I did lock them in before the workmen came with the door--although to be honest, they would probably just hide;  while they are shy of us, they won't even come out if strangers are in the garden.