Some duck photos and questions.

Here's a few photos I took of my Welsh Harlequins, and Khaki Campbell's this morning. I love watching them in the snow. I'm going to have to get some more since my hen to drake ratio is way off. Anyone recommend a hatchery or breeder that ships? Anyone have both breeds? I'm considering just keeping one kind, I love the looks of the Welsh but I really love the eggs which is how the Campbell entered the scene. If you've had both which is the better layer? lays the most, most regular layer, most long lived w/ production in mind. I've also heard that welsh are a better table bird then the Campbell any input there, these are my egg ducks but its a good thing to know. What breed is more suited to free range? I lost 3 hens this summer to crazy accidents, 2 were Khaki Campbell so I'm wondering if it was bad luck or if they aren't as bright as the Welsh Harlequin. one ate a wild mushroom in the yard, one got drunk off fermented fruit off our tree and tried to sleep it off on her back in the blazing summer sun and died of heat stroke, and one drowned herself in a bucket, I was starting to really worry I might have to have a intervention for depressed ducks or something, but it was awful losing that many in such a short time But the remaining are smart and healthy and have free ranged everyday without incident thus far.

I have both. Personally I like the Campbells better. My KC are friendlier. They are also much quieter. The WH lay larger eggs, though. WH are also good mommas. But, and this is a big but. My neighborhood hawk loves eating the WH. The white in the summer is good target. Winter there is not much of a problem but, in summer watch out. Also I have only KC drakes and the offspring from a KC drake and a WH hen produce color sexed ducklings. The brown ones are girls and the dark blackish ones are boys. I have a 1 to 3 ratio and could still use less drakes. I don't eat my birds just too much trouble. I free range both do well and know not to cross the street. I also wonder how long ducks lay eggs? I cannot tell which ones are laying. I have 16 hens and 5 drakes.

I recommend Metzer for a hatchery. Great selection and reputation. They are in California but ship nationwide.

jwhanford said:

I recommend Metzer for a hatchery. Great selection and reputation. They are in California but ship nationwide.

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Im gonna agree to disagree the people at metzer dont really care for their ducks, for their babies that die when getting out of the egg they burn them. Also last time i ordered from Metzer i went to my vet and they said That one of my goslings has terrible bone structure in one of its leg because it has been deeply inbred plus many other people have had their ducklings from their have awful leg problems worse than mine

Also watch their sexing videos they throw the birds around literally throw like a baseball. I know its hard to find a good mass production hatchery but id like to see people at least care some for the poor babies.

I have purchased from Metzer and have been quite happy with what I bought.

-Kathy

Sylverfly said:

Here's a few photos I took of my Welsh Harlequins, and Khaki Campbell's this morning. I love watching them in the snow. I'm going to have to get some more since my hen to drake ratio is way off. Anyone recommend a hatchery or breeder that ships? Anyone have both breeds? I'm considering just keeping one kind, I love the looks of the Welsh but I really love the eggs which is how the Campbell entered the scene. If you've had both which is the better layer? lays the most, most regular layer, most long lived w/ production in mind. I've also heard that welsh are a better table bird then the Campbell any input there, these are my egg ducks but its a good thing to know. What breed is more suited to free range? I lost 3 hens this summer to crazy accidents, 2 were Khaki Campbell so I'm wondering if it was bad luck or if they aren't as bright as the Welsh Harlequin. one ate a wild mushroom in the yard, one got drunk off fermented fruit off our tree and tried to sleep it off on her back in the blazing summer sun and died of heat stroke, and one drowned herself in a bucket, I was starting to really worry I might have to have a intervention for depressed ducks or something, but it was awful losing that many in such a short time But the remaining are smart and healthy and have free ranged everyday without incident thus far.

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First of all i love your pics . your ducks are very beautiful . I love snow hots.

Sylverfly said:

Here's a few photos I took of my Welsh Harlequins, and Khaki Campbell's this morning. I love watching them in the snow. I'm going to have to get some more since my hen to drake ratio is way off. Anyone recommend a hatchery or breeder that ships? Anyone have both breeds? I'm considering just keeping one kind, I love the looks of the Welsh but I really love the eggs which is how the Campbell entered the scene. If you've had both which is the better layer? lays the most, most regular layer, most long lived w/ production in mind. I've also heard that welsh are a better table bird then the Campbell any input there, these are my egg ducks but its a good thing to know. What breed is more suited to free range? I lost 3 hens this summer to crazy accidents, 2 were Khaki Campbell so I'm wondering if it was bad luck or if they aren't as bright as the Welsh Harlequin. one ate a wild mushroom in the yard, one got drunk off fermented fruit off our tree and tried to sleep it off on her back in the blazing summer sun and died of heat stroke, and one drowned herself in a bucket, I was starting to really worry I might have to have a intervention for depressed ducks or something, but it was awful losing that many in such a short time But the remaining are smart and healthy and have free ranged everyday without incident thus far.

Click to expand...

First of all i love your pics. Very beautiful ducks especially your WH drakes . I love snow shots , we havent had any snow yet but when we do i will be out there with a camera ready ! I havent owned these breed myself but i work at poultry sales and we have these breeds. Personally we prefer KC but we hace just started increasing our flock of WH and we love them. We find that KC are better layers as they lay consistantly through the winter dropping of a bit but still in good production whereas our WH finsh of about late november and start up in february. However WH stay in production longer as they stop in late winter but they only stay in production a year or a couple of years more. We find that WH are better table birds than KC especially the drakes however white cambell drakes we find make better table birds than WH drakes. I have some white cambells and i have found this aswell. We find KC are better suited to free range than WH as they are better foragers and wander a much less distance. We found our WH at work wandered to far when they were free range . Hope this helps Oscar

I have both. My WH are great. Super friendly and great layers. They started laying at 6 months and have not stopped.
My KC have not started laying yet as they are young.

I had good luck with Metzers.