Can someone help me pick a breed

[Chicken Egg 17]

Hello i am interested in finding a breed of ducks that are good layers even somewhat through the winter. I have had chickens for almost four years and have about 15 birds but i had a rooster show up at my house so it took me months before i was able to get him any hens i only got him 2 but they have since passef and now have there children with the same roo. They are all 2 years and under and the most eggs i have ever gotten in one day is 9 eggs. I have since gotten 2 ducks and have watched many youtube videos and they really seem like they are laying machines. I dont eat eggs these are for hatching as i breed and sell eggs and chicks of fifferent chicken breeds. But i am getting pretty attached to having them around and was thinking about getting into sone more ducks to also breed. But i dont know what breed to get So here is my question what is a breed do you all like that is a good layer is calm or somewhat calm but isnt a really common breed? Thanks for any help and sorry for any mispelling

Indian runner ducks

Muscovy

Or mandarine ducks but i know the mandarine ducks are seasonal layers

 

[TLWR]

Look into welsh harlequin ducks. Calm and lay a good deal of eggs.

 

[Duck Drover]

Australian Spotted ducks are the best layers and best foragers of the bantam breeds and they lay chicken egg sized eggs but they only weigh 2 pounds. They are very social and they make excellent mothers. They are a hardy duck that is low maintenance. They are our favorites and I have raised many different breeds of ducks. My daughter has done alot to help preserve the breed by creating breeding pairs to start new flocks.

 

[DancingWthDucks]

I would highly recommend Welsh Harlequins- they are tame, friendly, beautiful, amazing egg layers and a bit more unusual/rare than breeds such as Pekins and Khaki Campbells. Also there is an added bonus that it is easy to sex the ducklings at hatch (the females have pink bills and the males have blue/green bills, although this is only in the first couple of days). My Welsh Harlequins have also been laying well throughout the winter.

Good luck!

 

[chickens really]

Hello, I can not really help you pick....lol......I love all Ducks...I have A Welsh Drake, a Buff Hen and a Saxony Hen...Also 3 Call Ducks...All make great pets...Silly little clowns that follow me around....Any Ducks you chose will be great.....


Have fun picking your Ducks!


Cheers!

 

[dotknott]

Hello i am interested in finding a breed of ducks that are good layers even somewhat through the winter. I have had chickens for almost four years and have about 15 birds but i had a rooster show up at my house so it took me months before i was able to get him any hens i only got him 2 but they have since passef and now have there children with the same roo. They are all 2 years and under and the most eggs i have ever gotten in one day is 9 eggs. I have since gotten 2 ducks and have watched many youtube videos and they really seem like they are laying machines. I dont eat eggs these are for hatching as i breed and sell eggs and chicks of fifferent chicken breeds. But i am getting pretty attached to having them around and was thinking about getting into sone more ducks to also breed. But i dont know what breed to get So here is my question what is a breed do you all like that is a good layer is calm or somewhat calm but isnt a really common breed? Thanks for any help and sorry for any mispelling

Indian runner ducks

Muscovy

Or mandarine ducks but i know the mandarine ducks are seasonal layers

Mandarin Ducks are mostly ornamental, so if you're raising them it'll be for the offspring, not the eggs or meat.

Muscovies are a common bird. Good for meat as well as eggs.

Indian Runners are another common bird, though certain color variations may be more rare. Someone with experience with runners can hopefully speak on that.

If you're looking at uncommon breeds, check out the Livestock Conservancy for some breeds that have breeding population troubles.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/duck-chart
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Ducks

The more critical the status, the harder it will likely be for you to find breeding stock. The flip side, of course is that once you have breeding stock you're able to help rebuild the domestic populations. My suggestion would be to let us know what you're willing to do when it comes to raising ducks. What will you do if there's an excess of males in a season? Would you be able to process them for meat? Would you want to? If you're breeding ducks, what setup will you have to keep the breeds separated, since you already have 2 ducks?

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Mandarin Ducks are mostly ornamental, so if you're raising them it'll be for the offspring, not the eggs or meat.

Muscovies are a common bird. Good for meat as well as eggs.

Indian Runners are another common bird, though certain color variations may be more rare. Someone with experience with runners can hopefully speak on that.

If you're looking at uncommon breeds, check out the Livestock Conservancy for some breeds that have breeding population troubles.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/duck-chart
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Ducks

The more critical the status, the harder it will likely be for you to find breeding stock. The flip side, of course is that once you have breeding stock you're able to help rebuild the domestic populations.  My suggestion would be to let us know what you're willing to do when it comes to raising ducks. What will you do if there's an excess of males in a season? Would you be able to process them for meat? Would you want to? If you're breeding ducks, what setup will you have to keep the breeds separated, since you already have 2 ducks?

Thank you I want something that lays well, isn't as common as most breeds like Pekin and mallard. And I can process them for meat if I have to but I also have a sales barn about 5 minutes from me that I take extra Roos to and then you go back and pick up the money from the birds. I have two 4x8 coops that will be split in have with a wall for my chicken breeding pens and the two ducks I have will stay in one of those coops with a smaller breed of chickens they will more than likely stay in with the silkies they have been doing well with them. And then I will build a coops for what ever breed of ducks I choose a coop and have it near the duck pond I havnt figured out what I'm going to do for there pen yet though but I can figure something out.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Thanks everyone I have looked at the breeds everyone has said about I am leaning forward the welsh harlequins but once I have decided I will let everyone know.

 

[DancingWthDucks]

Thanks everyone I have looked at the breeds everyone has said about I am leaning forward the welsh harlequins but once I have decided I will let everyone know.

Make sure you post us all some pics!

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Dotknott I have looked over the website and I like the Dutch hookbill and the saxony ducks