Though Muscovy ducks are native to Central and South America, Don, Nibbie, and Miss Fudge have found their true home in the Brown family’s barn. 

Topsfield residents Colleen and George Brown, along with their sons Eddie, Roland, and Vernon, first brought home three ducklings from their friend in Ipswich. “We already had quails and wanted to expand our 'homestead,'" Colleen explains. “We fell in love with how cute ducklings are.”

Now, the Browns have gone from three tiny ducklings to fourteen ducks. The pets reside outside with a shed-turned-barn, a spacious enclosure, two big pools, and logs for them to perch on. 

Each duck has their own story: Don is named after Donald Duck, and Miss Fudge got her name from the brown feathers she had when she was young, though today Miss Fudge is mostly black with a little white. Nibbie, on the other hand, always nibbled on her owners’ fingers during playtime when she was a duckling, which inspired her name. 

However, it’s not just the backstory of their names that makes these pets interesting. Muscovy ducks are the only ducks not descended from mallards, evident in their quietness (using hisses and croaks instead of quacking) and red patches called caruncles around their eyes. Additionally, Muscovy ducks are the largest species of duck. 

Colleen says that “although Don is the size of a goose, he will wrap his neck around ours for a hug.” The Brown family cherishes the love and affection they receive from their flock, as well as appreciates their ducks’ delicious eggs. 

It’s clear that no matter what happens, the family of five will never run out of love for each and every one of their Muscovy ducks.