The chick and duck were two of the most beloved recurring characters on the hit 90s sitcom Friends. Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) adopted the baby chick and duck during season 3, treating them like their own children throughout their time on the show. But the pets eventually disappeared without explanation, leaving fans wondering – what happened to the chick and duck on Friends?
The Origin of the Chick and Duck
In the season 3 episode “The One with a Chick and a Duck”, Joey buys a baby chick from an animal sanctuary after misunderstanding a news story about people buying chicks as Easter gifts then abandoning them. He intends it as a gift for Chandler, who initially wants to return it but can’t bear the thought of the chick being euthanized. So Chandler ends up keeping the chick, and also adopts a duck while he’s at it.
Despite some early challenges like the chick getting stuck in the VCR, Chandler and Joey prove to be capable and loving pet parents The chick and duck appear in over 20 episodes throughout seasons 3 to 6, with running gags about Chandler and Joey treating them like children. Joey names the chick Yasmine after Baywatch actress Yasmine Bleeth, though they later realize Yasmine is a rooster. Chandler names the duck Dick.
Disappearance from the Show
After frequent appearances in early seasons, the pets abruptly vanished from Friends around season 6. The duck was briefly mentioned in season 7 for throwing up on Joey’s bed but neither animal appeared on camera again.
In the final season, Rachel refers to the chick and duck having died a few years prior. But Phoebe quickly stops her, implying the others hid the truth from Joey to spare his feelings. The actual reason for writing the pets out was probably just that it got too difficult to keep featuring them as the show progressed. Their disappearance was left ambiguous to tie up loose ends.
The Chick and Duck’s Replacements
In the Friends finale, Joey presents newly adopted “Chick Jr.” and “Duck Jr.” to Chandler and Monica as a housewarming gift. Chandler tells Joey to keep them, and their fate after that is unknown.
The junior pets were likely introduced to provide some closure for longtime fans on the disappearance of the original chick and duck. But they did not continue on to Joey’s spinoff show and were never mentioned again after Friends ended.
What Really Happened to the Pets?
Though it’s left unclear in the show, according to most Friends insiders like producers and cast members, the chick and duck did canonically die of old age off screen. The other friends hid this from Joey to protect him from grief over losing his beloved animal companions.
The pets were written out due to logistical challenges of featuring them, not because of any story reasons. But the showrunners didn’t want to just abandon these beloved characters, so they created a heartwarming explanation for their absence. Joey got to believe the chick and duck were happily living on a farm upstate.
While we never learn their full backstory, the chick and duck will be remembered by Friends fans as two of the funniest and most charming parts of the early seasons. Their disappearance marks the end of an era in the show’s history. But at least we can rest easy knowing somewhere, in Friends canon, the chick and duck are enjoying a pleasant farm life together.
Summary of the Chick and Duck’s Time on Friends
- Joey buys a chick to give Chandler in season 3, Chandler adopts it along with a duck
- They care for the pets like children and give them names
- The chick and duck appear periodically up until season 6
- In season 7 it’s implied the pets died but Phoebe shields Joey from the truth
- Replacement “Chick Jr.” and “Duck Jr.” appear in the finale
- The original chick and duck likely passed away offscreen of old age
- But in Joey’s mind, they get to live happily on a farm together
So while their departure was abrupt, the show gave the audience closure on these beloved animal characters. The chick and duck will always have a special place in Friends history.
Later life[]
A recurring gag throughout the series has Chandler and Joey treating the chick and the duck as their own children, a continuation of the earlier gag that Joey and Chandler acted like a married couple. At one point, Chandler punishes the duck for trying to eat the chick by sending him out to the hall; stating, “You stay out here and think about what you did!”, greatly surprising Ross and Rachel. On another occasion, when Joey threatened to move out after Chandler kissed his girlfriend, Kathy, Chandler attempted to convince him to stay by arguing that the chick and the duck had been having a hard year recently, due to the apartment being robbed.
Eventually, when the chick unexpectedly grew into a rooster (Chandler and Joey believing that the chick was female prior to this development), Monica and Rachel made a bet with Joey and Chandler where they would give away the rooster and the duck if they lost, but Chandler and Joey would get the girls apartment if they won; the transition was only temporary. On a later occasion, the duck swallowed Ross engagement ring during the bachelor party for his wedding to Emily, requiring the duck to be taken to the vet to get it out. When Chandler moved to Monicas apartment, it is revealed that Monica hates them but disguises it as an allergy which prevents them from visiting.
The Chick was last seen in the episode “The One With Mac And C.H.E.E.S.E.” which took place in April 2000. The Chick is not seen, mentioned or heard afterwards which gives the impression it probably died. This would have made it three years old at the time of its death as it was born in 1997. The Duck last appeared in the episode “The One With Rachels Book”, which took place in October 2000. The Duck does not appear afterwards which brings about the probability that the face cream it ate unfortunately killed it. The Duck was probably born around 1995 because it is said to have been an ex-battery duck before coming to live with Joey and Chandler. Most duck farmers sell their ducks at around two years old when egg production drops. This would make the Duck around five years old at the time of its death.
Early Life[]
In the episode “The One With A Chick And A Duck”, Joey bought the chick from an animal sanctuary as a gift for Chandler after seeing (and misunderstanding) a news report about people who buy chicks and then find they cannot properly care for them.
Phoebe encouraged Chandler to return the chick but Chandler, discovering that the chick was in danger of being euthanized, did not have the heart and returned home with the chick and a duck. It turned out that, after hitting a few bumps (such as getting the chick stuck in the VCR) the two were perfectly capable of caring for the birds, and they were well loved.
The Chick And The Duck – Friends
FAQ
Why did they get rid of the Chick and Duck in Friends?
Abrupt disappearance
In the final episode, it was revealed that they had died of old age some time ago, but Chandler and the rest of the group had lied to Joey to save his feelings, telling him that they had gone to a special farm where they were very happy but could not be visited.
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 Rooster and duck in Friends?
in one episode it revealed that they died but chandler tells Joey they were sent to a happy farm to play.
What happened to the duck and chicken in Friends Reddit?
They died and Chandler told Joey they went to live on a farm.