I've got a problem with my Muscovy drake, Desmond
He keeps trying to mount the Shetland drake
and he's got three girls to choose from
If you ever see ducks do it, it's rough as
It's like...
like...
Viewer discretion is advised kind of thing
So Desmond, stop harassing the Shetlands
and go for the Muscovies
otherwise you might become dinner mate
Fast forward a few weeks
and Desmond's on his final warning
What is going on here?
Desmond chased the hell out of these ducks
He was, like, pecking them and biting them and stuff
I kind of got attached to him
but at the same time, I don't know what to do with him really
because he's spoiling the whole parade
Should I dispatch Desmond to protect the rest of the flock?
I've got my first life or death dilemma on the croft
and I need help
So today it's D-Day for Desmond
I'm going to see Ealasaid
And she's a vet, she's a local vet, lovely lady
She's come and checked out my chickens a few times
and stuff like that
And just to see, because she's a duck lover too
She's got Muscovies herself
So just want to speak to her and see what she has to say really
Ealasaid grew up here and runs her own croft
Kelvin, her Muscovy drake
is way better natured than mine
He's the love of my life
Aren't ya?
Yes, right, off you go my boy
You're going down
There you go
Hello Ealasaid
How are you?
I'm good, you?
Not too bad
So what is the problem?
He's a bit of a sex pest
Oh god, is he?
Oh no
Yes, he's a sex pest
Yeah, I'd be a bit worried about these Shetlands
Cause they're quite wee
So he's probably going to kill the drake if he kept that up
You'd be better dealing with it before rather than after
Yeah
There's nothing worse than thinking
I could have done something about that
If you have them, you have to look after them
And that's life and death
And so long as death is done in that way that is...
as welfare friendly as possible and done quickly
So I feel a bit sad now I know what I have to do now
I know
I still hate doing it
So the decision has been made
So we're going to get back to the croft
and I'm not jumping for joy
because it's not a fun thing to do, but
we have to deal with the problem
and that problem is Desmond
It's just like knowing that you're taking a life
It's... not a nice thing at all
There isn't really another option
You know, we could rehome him
but you're just passing the problem down
And obviously, if you then did do that
what if he then was attacking some other ducks
From Alex's perspective
it's obviously something that he's never done before
And I know that, you know
it's going to be something that he finds really difficult
But certainly as crofters, we all have to do something
for the first time
How my city boy life has changed
Back at the croft
I'm facing the reality of what I've taken on
and I'm dreading it
I feel like I wore black, purple like subconsciously today
Alright Desmond, it's time
Come on now Desmond
Sorry, I don't want to stress you out man
If you knew what's gonna happen
Well, I can understand
if you knew what was going to happen
I'd do the bloody same thing
Ah, there you go, that's easier
Well now he's got claws and he's going to go bonkers
I'm sorry
I genuinely am
He's not a weak, I tell you
But look at his claws compared to the girls
Look
Ooh mate
Thankfully, Susannah's dad has experience in this kind of thing
because I can't bear to do the deed myself
Useful man to have around, Malcolm
Calm yourself, calm down, calm down
Where's my hands going to be?
You'll hold him that end
His heartbeat's slower than mine, I tell you that
You can feel it
You mind if I look over there?
Not at all
Wow
That was gruesome
I'm not gonna lie
like, it's not for the faint hearted
and yeah I can look for...
yeah I didn't want to look if I'm honest with you
but it's done now and...
in a weird way I do feel less stressed
knowing that I'm not going to come back to find dead ducks
It's just...
farm life
and I'm a crofter now
I just have to kind of learn to deal with it really