Hansi
Lucky in misfortune
Warty duck Hansi had a stroke of luck. For a few weeks, animal-loving people and mallard Hansi met while walking along a stream. Hansi sat there and seemed to wait for the walkers. One day, he ran up to the family and pecked at their shoes. The people continued their walk and Hansi waddled after them. He wasn't afraid of the dog that was with the family either. The duck wanted to draw attention to himself and his injury. One wing hung off the side and the family took Hansi into their chicken coop. The chickens live in a warm coop during the winter, and Hansi moved in there. However, there is no bathing pond for Hansi here and they were also not sure how he would get along with the roosters. The next step was to take him to the vet, who unfortunately could not treat his injured wing. However, this problem was not to remain unsolvable. Gut Aiderbichl took Hansi in and had the injured wing treated in a clinic set up for this purpose. Everyone was happy, especially Hansi the warty duck.
The dying breed of the mallard duck
The warty duck originally comes from South America and found its way into German-speaking countries in the 18th century. Wart ducks are the domesticated form of the South American muscovy duck, and they are also known as domestic ducks, flying ducks or barbary ducks. Wart ducks used to be at home on every farm, but now they have become rare and are on the red list of endangered domestic breeds. Our Hansi proves with his behaviour that the wart duck has a very easy to care for, tame and therefore people-friendly nature. In terms of character, Hansi is very calm, even-tempered and does not chatter. When he has something to say, he hisses or gurgles.
No outdoor jacket is filled with Hansi's down
Down is a particularly high-quality, warming natural material that is used as a filling for outdoor and winter jackets, sleeping bags, head cushions and blankets. For the animals, down extraction is associated with immeasurable suffering. Just as fox fur belongs on the body of the fox, the delicate, soft down feather belongs on the body of the duck or goose. The down keeps the animals warm and above water.
In live plucking, the down is plucked from the goose's skin. The whole process is done without anaesthesia, i.e. alive and fully conscious. The down keeps growing back, so the geese can be plucked several times a year.
In the case of dead plucking, which is practised for example in the extraction of duck down, the duck is killed and the feathers are then plucked.
The down of the eider duck, which lives by the sea, is the down with which the duck "voluntarily" gives up the nest for its young. Every year, around 600 million ducks and geese are slaughtered for down.
Our "Hansi in Luck"
Hansi lives with all our ducks and geese in the wooden houses at the Henndorf duck pond, and seems to be happy. The injured wing is healthy again and Hansi could fly away, but: why should he? He is looking forward to your visit.
