Quack Shack owner 'inundated' with chicks and ducks

When she first built the Quack Shack, Leanne Clarke had about 36 ducks in her care

A woman who looks after more than 80 ducks in her "Quack Shack" shed is planning to open her own duck hospital to help rehabilitate them.

Leanne Clarke, from Horsford in Norfolk, first inherited a number of birds with her new house when she moved to the village in 2022 and looked into how best to care for them.

With more than 80 ducks, more than 40 chickens, one turkey and one goose currently in her care, she has started a fundraiser to build a hospital for the birds that need rehabilitating.

"It's quite desperate at this point, we are running out of room to actually fix them," she said.

In March, Ms Clarke built a 30ft (9m) by 13ft (4m) wooden shed to house 36 ducks, when it was announced birds had to be kept inside following avian flu restrictions.

She said most of her current flock were rescue birds who were "hit by cars, blind ducks, ducks with one eye, ducks that have only got one leg... I love them".

She says she has been inundated and one problem is quarantining them.

"I'm looking to get a big cabin in the garden. The main issue is quarantining them... everyone with injuries needs to be tended to if they've been through the vet and I need somewhere to do all that safely."

Leanne Clarke has managed to raise more than £4,000 for her duck hospital so she can care for and rehabilitate more birds

Currently, she says poorly ducks are living in her house and as she continues to take more birds in, she needs larger facilities.

"We are now on a wildlife rehabilitation list as well.. it's not just ducks, we are getting calls about swallows and seagulls and everything," she said.

"I've already got a wait list of about four or five ducks that I need to pick up just this week who are injured or abandoned.

"It's really busy."

Ms Clarke's fundraiser has reached £4,000 so far.

"We need about £7,000 that will include the electrics, the heating - which will be really important come spring next year.

"We are going to be inundated with ducklings again like we were this year and getting all the equipment we need to keep everybody happy and alive."

Wildlife rescue centres are not regulated by any official body or government department, although this is something the RSPCA said it was "working towards".