The Unlikely Swimmer in a Country Pond
On a quiet homestead in Central Oregon, a picture-perfect farm moment was taking shape. A small flock of young ducklings, newly welcomed by their caretaker, Kasey Nothiger, were splashing about in the shimmering pond, enjoying one of their very first swims. It was the sort of peaceful rural image that could have been painted on a postcard. But neighbor Deena Rounds, who happened to be watching, noticed something unusual. Among the fuzzy little swimmers was an odd companion—a bird that clearly didn’t match the rest. “We spotted this strange swimmer tagging along with the ducks. Long neck, strange strokes … it didn’t move like them at all,” Rounds remarked. The “duck” in question was laughably oversized, with a neck like a periscope and a paddling style that seemed clumsy compared to the elegant gliding of the ducklings. It was a curious and funny mystery—until the truth came out. The so-called “duck” was not a duck at all. She was Daisy, a baby emu, who wholeheartedly believed she was part of the flock.
The Giant Chick and Her Tiny Companions
Daisy’s journey began months earlier, when she arrived at Firefly Fields Northwest, Nothiger’s family farm, as a fragile two-week-old emu chick. Though there were already three grown emus living on the property, they were far too big for Daisy to be housed with safely. For her own protection, she had to live apart. But that separation quickly turned into heartbreak. Emus are deeply social animals, and Daisy’s cries made it clear that she was desperate for company. “I had to think of something fast,” Nothiger explained. The solution didn’t require another emu—just companionship. That’s when inspiration struck. She placed Daisy with five newborn ducklings, hoping they might ease her loneliness.
The experiment worked instantly. Instead of fearing the towering newcomer, the ducklings gathered around Daisy with boundless enthusiasm. She, in turn, immediately calmed down, no longer shrieking for comfort. “She relaxed right away, and soon they were piled together, snuggling and sleeping as if they’d been hatched from the same nest,” Nothiger said. And just like that, Daisy had found her family—five tiny yellow fluff balls and one gray, leggy chick who at last felt safe.
Daisy Learns the Art of Being a Duck
As time passed, Daisy grew larger by the day, but her bond with the ducklings never wavered. Through the natural process of imprinting, she came to view herself not as an emu, but as one of them. She copied their behavior, adapted their rhythms, and even mirrored their waddling walk—though her towering legs gave it a comically different style. To Daisy, there was no question: she was simply the tall sibling of the group.
This belief was tested when the ducklings were old enough to explore the outdoors and, eventually, the pond. Without hesitation, the ducks plunged in, splashing, diving, and paddling with pure joy. Daisy, however, stopped at the edge. Her instincts whispered that deep water was unfamiliar and frightening. “The ducks were already swimming, but Daisy was panicking on the shore, letting out loud cries,” Nothiger recalled. The family she adored was in the water, yet her own fear held her back.
The Day Daisy Discovered She Could Swim
With her “duck” siblings drifting further from the shore, Daisy faced a moment of choice. Her heart told her she belonged with them, even if her instincts resisted. After some gentle encouragement from her human caretaker, love won over fear. Daisy took a leap of faith and splashed into the water.
At first, her strokes were awkward, her long legs thrashing beneath the surface. But soon she found her rhythm. Within minutes, she was swimming side by side with her flock, her head held high, joy radiating from every movement. “When I checked on her later, she was floating happily with them, totally at ease,” Nothiger shared. “It was the sweetest, most heart-melting thing.”
Although emus are capable swimmers by nature, watching one seamlessly join a family of ducks is an extraordinary sight. Today, Daisy is no longer the frightened little chick who once cried for company—she’s a confident leader of her mixed-species family. Even the other ducks on the farm, who weren’t part of her original brood, have accepted her without hesitation.
Daisy’s story is more than a quirky farm tale—it’s a reminder that belonging isn’t about appearances, but about love and connection. She may not look like her siblings, but in her heart, she is one of them. And on that Oregon farm, the ducks agree.
