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What Happened to the Duck and Chicken on Friends: The Untold Story

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Have you ever been watching reruns of Friends and suddenly thought “Wait whatever happened to those birds Joey and Chandler had?” You’re not alone! As a massive Friends fan myself, I’ve always been curious about the fate of those feathered roommates that brought so much laughter to our screens. Let’s dive into the complete story of the chick and duck from Friends – their origins, hilarious moments, mysterious disappearance, and the truth about what really happened to them.

The Beginning: How Joey and Chandler Became Bird Parents

The chick and duck made their debut in Season 3, Episode 21, titled “The One With A Chick And A Duck” which aired on April 17, 1997. Joey, being the impulsive but well-meaning friend he is, purchased the baby chick from an animal sanctuary as a gift for Chandler. His decision came after watching (and completely misunderstanding) a news report about people who buy chicks as Easter presents but can’t properly care for them.

When Phoebe encouraged Chandler to return the chick, he discovered the poor bird would be euthanized. Our sensitive Chandler couldn’t bear this thought, so he not only kept the chick but came home with a duck as well! Thus began one of the most memorable recurring gags of the series.

Life With The Feathered Friends

Joey and Chandler’s relationship with their pets was nothing short of hilarious. They treated these birds like their own children, further cementing the running joke that they functioned like a married couple. Here are some of the most memorable moments:

  • The chick getting stuck in the VCR (a classic!)
  • Chandler punishing the duck by sending him to the hallway after trying to eat the chick
  • The duck swallowing Ross’s engagement ring during his bachelor party before his wedding to Emily
  • Chandler using the birds’ “hard year” (due to the apartment being robbed) to convince Joey not to move out after the Kathy kissing incident

The writers gave these birds distinct personalities. Chandler named the chick “Yasmine” after Yasmine Bleeth from Baywatch, though they later discovered “she” was actually a “he” when the chick grew into a rooster. Meanwhile, the duck was sometimes referred to as “Dick” (a clever wordplay on duck + chick).

The Mysterious Disappearance

If you’ve watched Friends multiple times like I have, you might’ve noticed that around Season 6, the birds kinda just… disappeared. The chick’s last appearance was in “The One With Mac And C.H.E.E.S.E.” in April 2000, while the duck was last seen in “The One With Rachel’s Book” in October 2000.

The duck was briefly mentioned in Season 7 as having thrown up on Joey’s bed after eating Rachel’s face cream, but neither bird was physically seen on screen again. This abrupt disappearance left many fans wondering what happened to our feathered friends

What Really Happened to the Chick and Duck?

The truth wasn’t revealed until the final episode of Friends in 2004. During a conversation about Chandler and Monica’s move to the suburbs, Rachel begins to mention that the chick and duck had died years ago, but Phoebe quickly interrupts her. Phoebe then tells Joey a white lie about the birds living on a special farm where they were very happy but couldn’t be visited.

This reveal confirmed what many fans suspected – the birds had died of old age sometime after Season 6. The gang had protected Joey from this sad truth knowing how attached he was to the pets.

According to the Friends Fandom wiki, we can piece together approximate timelines:

  • The chick was born in 1997 and was about three years old when it died (last seen in April 2000)
  • The duck was born around 1995 (as an ex-battery duck) and was approximately five years old at the time of its death (last seen in October 2000)

It’s suggested that the duck possibly died after eating Rachel’s face cream, though this isn’t explicitly confirmed in the show.

Chick Jr. and Duck Jr.: The Next Generation

In a heartwarming callback during the series finale, Joey gifts Chandler a new pair of birds – Chick Jr. and Duck Jr. – as a housewarming present for his move to the suburbs with Monica. This sweet gesture shows Joey’s sentimental side and brings the bird storyline full circle.

Chandler, knowing that he and Monica (who claimed to be allergic to the birds) wouldn’t be the best pet parents, tells Joey to keep them himself. The last we see, Joey is considering adding a goose to his poultry collection before Chandler quickly discourages him.

Interestingly, these new birds never appeared in the Joey spinoff series, leaving their fate unknown. We can only hope they lived happily with Joey or perhaps moved in with Chandler and Monica after all.

Why Did the Birds Disappear from the Show?

There are several theories about why the chick and duck stopped appearing regularly:

  1. Practical reasons: Working with live animals on set can be challenging and unpredictable.

  2. Storyline evolution: As Chandler moved in with Monica (who supposedly had an “allergy” to the birds), it became harder to incorporate them into storylines.

  3. Production logistics: As the show progressed and storylines became more complex, maintaining continuity with the pets may have been difficult.

  4. Natural timeline: The writers may have realized that the birds’ natural lifespans would end during the show’s run and decided to phase them out gradually.

The Legacy of the Chick and Duck

Despite their limited screen time (the chick appeared in 18 episodes and the duck in 21), these birds left an indelible mark on Friends’ legacy. They:

  • Enhanced the Joey-Chandler dynamic
  • Provided countless comedic moments
  • Demonstrated Chandler and Joey’s surprising nurturing abilities
  • Became beloved recurring characters despite never saying a word

In many ways, the chick and duck embodied what made Friends special – the ability to take something ordinary (two guys with unusual pets) and turn it into something hilarious and heartwarming.

Could the Birds Have Saved Joey’s Spinoff?

One interesting theory suggested by some fans is that incorporating Chick Jr. and Duck Jr. into the Joey spinoff might have helped its longevity. The spinoff was criticized for not including enough callbacks to Friends, making it seem like Joey had completely abandoned his previous life.

The birds could have served as a physical reminder of Joey’s history and his friendship with Chandler. Unfortunately, this opportunity was missed, and Joey was canceled after just two seasons.

Fun Facts About the Friends Birds

  • The duck was originally intended to be a one-episode gag but became popular enough to stay
  • Real ducks can live 8-12 years in captivity, so the Friends duck’s lifespan was somewhat accelerated
  • The birds were often mentioned in episodes even when they weren’t shown on screen
  • Monica secretly hated the birds but pretended to be allergic to avoid hurting Joey and Chandler’s feelings
  • At one point during the “apartment bet,” Joey and Chandler almost had to give up the birds to Monica and Rachel

My Thoughts on the Chick and Duck

I’ve always felt the chick and duck were more than just pets on the show – they were symbols of Joey and Chandler’s friendship. The fact that they cared for these unusual pets together showed their bond and their willingness to take on responsibility (even if they sometimes did it in the most chaotic way possible).

The white lie about the birds going to a special farm also reveals a lot about the group dynamic. They all loved Joey enough to protect him from painful truths, much like a real family would.

So there you have it – the complete story of what happened to the chick and duck on Friends. They lived full (if somewhat short) lives with Joey and Chandler, bringing joy to millions of viewers, before passing away off-screen. Their memory lives on through Chick Jr. and Duck Jr., and in countless Friends reruns.

Next time you’re binging Friends and spot those feathered roommates, you’ll know the full story behind their mysterious disappearance. And maybe, just like me, you’ll appreciate these silly birds a little bit more for the laughter they brought to one of television’s most beloved sitcoms.

what happened to the duck and chicken on friends

Friends Chick and Duck Died

what happened to the duck and chicken on friends

Even though the chick and duck Friends pets appeared in season 6, the latter was mentioned the following season after eating Rachels face cream. The Friends chick and duck birds were then absent until the Friends series finale episode. Rachel referred to the pets having died a few years prior, one of the few deaths on Friends, but Phoebe cut her off and assured Joey that the chick and the duck were actually at a special farm that didnt allow visitors. This meant that the pets most likely died of old age and the rest of the group told a white lie to shield Joey from their deaths.

The final episode also provided another callback to the beloved pets. Joey decided to give Chandler another chick and duck pair which he named Chick Jr. and Duck Jr., respectively. Chandler told his friend to keep them instead, but their fate remained unknown since the pets didnt appear in the spinoff series, Joey. Lets hope one of the other characters in Friends took care of them, so they didnt have to go to the special farm with the original pets. Unfortunately, nothing was revealed on the Friends reunion special on HBO Max either.

The Chick And The Duck – Friends

FAQ

When did the Chick and Duck disappear from Friends?

The chick and the duck play a major role as Chandler and Joey’s beloved pets in earlier seasons. They slowly disappear from the show and make their final appearance on season six, episode 20, “The One With Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E.

What happened to the animals in Friends?

Friends Chick and Duck Died

Rachel referred to the pets having died a few years prior, one of the few deaths on Friends, but Phoebe cut her off and assured Joey that the chick and the duck were actually at a special farm that didn’t allow visitors.

What happened to Chick-Jr and duck-Jr?

They died, probably of old age, but it wasn’t shown in the show. It has been revealed in the final episode, when Joey bought the Chick Jr. and Duck Jr.Feb 26, 2016

Do Chandler and Joey keep the duck and chick?

Then, at the end of the series, Joey bought a chick and a duck to give to Chandler when he and Monica moved. Chandler told Joey to keep them for him.

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