When BuzzFeed was developing a story on ducks, they brought an egg back to work and placed it in an incubator to document a duckling’s journey. From the moment he hatched, Pip was making friends at the office, but it became clear that he needed a more natural environment, so the Buzzfeed team turned to Farm Sanctuary.

Too often, ducks are thought of as temperamental and unintelligent birds who simply follow the flock, but lovable Pip will shatter those misconceptions!

At Farm Sanctuary, he’s been the life of the party from day one. Pip is among the first to greet visitors to the duck and geese barn, charming everyone he meets. In fact, he’s often the only duck who likes to hang around, tail wagging, when caregivers or tour guests walk in. 

He can often be found standing at the door of the barn, looking out for his flock and watching the world go by.

Pip’s adorable antics always make us smile. He likes to untie our shoelaces and “supervise” the caregivers as we move around the barn or fill up the pool. If we don’t have a blueberry (his very favorite snack!) because it’s not time to give out medications, he’ll make his frustration known by biting at our pants legs.

One of Pip’s close human friends, caregiver Tori, says an excited Pip is very vocal each time he sees her. “I love to give him groomies and chest scratches, and he gives me some back on my arms.”

When Pip’s not standing watch at the door, charming his pals, or snacking on blueberries, he loves to splash in the kiddie pool. While ducks spend some of their time on land, getting to be in water is vital for their health and cleanliness—and yet, it’s denied to them on factory farms.

• Ducks not only form deep social bonds, but they also choose their best friends!
• Like cats, ducks can see ultraviolet light.
• Ducks prefer to live in large groups, which meet their social needs and provide protection from predators.
• Ducks have a nearly 360-degree field of vision. To put that into perspective, humans’ field of vision is just 180 degrees.
• Ducks can live for around 10 years, but in animal agriculture, they’re slaughtered at just 7-8 weeks old.
• Ducks are the second most commonly slaughtered land animal on Earth, after chickens.

Ducks are individuals with unique personalities. Just look at our rescued duck residents. Pip is charismatic and outgoing. Rad is a chill guy with laidback vibes. Dobie and Milo are doting friends, always together.

Find out more about ducks here, then visit our Take Action page to find ways to stand up for all farm animals—or “adopt” Pip to support his lifelong care at Farm Sanctuary and help protect ducks everywhere!