Hi everyone! I'm new here. Last year we tossed around the idea of getting a couple chickens for the backyard, but we put that on hold because we had just moved in.
Recently I've been thinking about getting a couple ducks instead. My daughter loves ducks, they seems more sociable, and I've heard the eggs are delicious and very nutritious. We'd be raising them for pets and eggs. I am checking with my town to see if we are allowed to keep them, but in the meantime, I thought I'd do some research.
If I order some ducklings or buy some, am I able to pick them sex of the duck (I'm not interested in breeding, so I'd only get females)? I read something about "sexing". Being a beginner, I have no idea what this means. I also read that Cayuga ducks are have good personalities, but do they lay well too?
Also, and this is my major issue, we have a Brittany Spaniel, which is a bird dog. Our neighbors have a chicken coop in close proximity to our backyard, and at first she was interested in them, but mostly just ignores them now. She is on an aerial lead, so I'm thinking that if we put the duck house where she can't reach it, that would be best. Or should I even bother? In my head I'm thinking that if we get ducklings and she introduced to them, she will be used to them and ignore them.
Any advice on this, and how to get started, would be so great. Thanks!!
Recently I've been thinking about getting a couple ducks instead. My daughter loves ducks, they seems more sociable, and I've heard the eggs are delicious and very nutritious. We'd be raising them for pets and eggs. I am checking with my town to see if we are allowed to keep them, but in the meantime, I thought I'd do some research.
If I order some ducklings or buy some, am I able to pick them sex of the duck (I'm not interested in breeding, so I'd only get females)? I read something about "sexing". Being a beginner, I have no idea what this means. I also read that Cayuga ducks are have good personalities, but do they lay well too?
Also, and this is my major issue, we have a Brittany Spaniel, which is a bird dog. Our neighbors have a chicken coop in close proximity to our backyard, and at first she was interested in them, but mostly just ignores them now. She is on an aerial lead, so I'm thinking that if we put the duck house where she can't reach it, that would be best. Or should I even bother? In my head I'm thinking that if we get ducklings and she introduced to them, she will be used to them and ignore them.
Any advice on this, and how to get started, would be so great. Thanks!!