A tale of a boy and his duck

Tyler and Beaker (Facebook)
Tyler and Beaker (Facebook)

It's quite common for a toddler to have a stuffed animal for a best friend, but this Texan toddler has a real duck called Beaker as his closest companion.

One-year-old Tyler Young's parents brought home the duckling when Tyler was just nine months old, and they say the pair's bond was "instant and incredible".

Tyler, now one year old, and Beaker do everything together. They play in the sun and in the swimming pool. Tyler's first word was duck.

(Facebook)

"Bee and Tyler do quite a bit together, from eating, playing with trucks and toy trains, wagon rides, and just running around the backyard," Tyler's mother, Jennifer Young, tells 3 News.

Ms Young says Beaker will run to Tyler if he's crying, and if Tyler wakes up from a nap Beaker will run to his door, she told Metro.co.uk.

(Facebook)

A Facebook page set up by Ms Young to document the inseparable pair has more than 2,300 likes.

"The whole reason for the page was to show their bond and how ducks are just as capable as bonding and being amazing pets like any cat or dog," she says.

(Facebook)

Beaker was not the first duck the family owned. In fact, Tyler's dad first spotted him while out buying food for their other beaked family members. They have 11 ducks now, but Beaker is the only one allowed to sleep indoors.

"Bee sleeps in a baby pen that I sit in my bedroom. Tyler always tells Bee 'night-night'," Ms Young says.

(Facebook)

But life is not always peaceful with a duck-toddler combo in the house.

"From sun up to sundown they cause chaos," Ms Young told Metro. "Bee steals snacks when Tyler isn't looking; they play outside together, go to the park together, enjoy wagon rides together - and Bee is always supervising bath time."

(Facebook)

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