Duck Chat

[BunnyLover44]

Hey I want some ducks but need some info. and answers first. Here are some of my questions:

Can they live in the same coop as chickens?

How many should i get?

I live on a lake , will the run away?

Are they flighty and should clip their wings? If so how do you clip duck's wings?

Are they noisy because i live in a neighborhood and don't want to get my neighbors angry?

Thanks in advance!
BunnyLover44

 

[Amiga]

Welcome to the Duck Forum!

Good questions.

Take a look at the stickies, especially the Duckling Care posts.

Meanwhile, some basic answers from what I have read and experienced. I only have ducks, and what I have read is that some mix their flocks, some don't. Water is one big difference. Also ducks except Muscovies are ground nesters, they don't roost.

Number of ducks depends on your space and time. But there's this phenomenon called Duck Math. Some people end up with more than they intended. I envisioned three ducks. Then I thought six might be better. The minimum order was ten, but I reckoned based on what I read that I might lose half of them by the time they grew up. I didn't. The hatchery sent a free one. Then I got concerned about dumped ducks, and adopted (so far) five buffs. Hey, they're small.

Along the way, we did lose Drei, Neun, and Shelly. But everyone else is still with us.

Lakes are not necessarily the best places for domestic ducks, in my opinion. And many people have their ducks out on a small lake, so I hope some of them check in.

Many of the mallard-derived breeds (not Muscovies) don't fly much if at all. There are some, though. My runners and buffs don't fly really. Wing-assisted jumping. Actually, Bean can scale a three-foot fence, and I saw Carmella fly about fifteen feet, a few feet off the ground yesterday. Then she landed. Oof. Not graceful.

There is a thread explaining all about clipping wings. Have you tried the search option?

The noise all depends. Muscovies are quiet, but big. My neighbors tell me that my flock is very quiet while I am away - they only get noisy when they hear my car coming down the street. They yell if the food bowl is almost empty. They call to me if I have not been out to see them often enough. They chatter excitedly when they see the pea bowl.

 

[Laci7210]

Hey I want some ducks but need some info. and answers first. Here are some of my questions:

Can they live in the same coop as chickens?
Yes, they can live in the same coop as chickens but you have to wait until they are older to move them in with chickens.
How many should i get?
At least 2 so that they have a friend! I wouldn't get much over 10 because they are very messy and will dirty up your coop a lot faster than chickens. If they have a lake and are loose, as many as you want!!
I live on a lake , will the run away?
Leave them locked up for a few weeks before letting them go. And just to be safe, I would find something to lock them in at night.
Are they flighty and should clip their wings? If so how do you clip duck's wings?
Rouens and Pekins are a few unflighty breeds. But they also get kind of big. Khaki Campbell and mallards are a few smaller, more flighty breeds. I don't know how to clip a duck's wings but I wouldn't recommend doing so because if a predator is going after them, they will have no way to fly off.
Are they noisy because i live in a neighborhood and don't want to get my neighbors angry?
If they see something going on like if you walk by or if there's movement, then yes they talk, but otherwise, mine don't talk much. But every duck is different.
Thanks in advance!
BunnyLover44

 

[BunnyLover44]

Thanks you guys soo much! Any more advise???

 

[Amiga]

See what you can find on https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/256233/ducks-sticky-topics-index

Predators are a big issue. Security is vital. I am a bit of a nut about protecting the flock. From what I read, ducks may be more prone to attacks than are chickens.

 

[cosbackyard]

I keep my ducks and chickens together - for the time being. My drake isn't mature enough to mate yet. If he harasses the chickens I may have to separate them.

Are they flighty and should clip their wings? If so how do you clip duck's wings?
My khakis have always either been too fat and happy or just incapable of flying away. If you're concerned about clipping wings maybe just get a breed that isn't known for flying.

Are they noisy because i live in a neighborhood and don't want to get my neighbors angry?
As Laci mentioned every duck is different. I currently have a female Khaki who is very noisy. You can hear her 1/4 mile away. Right now it's just when she wants something. I'm trying to mitigate this by getting a bigger waterer (runs out and she gets demanding.) This is the only duck I've had, though, that has been what I would consider too noisy for a suburban neighborhood.

Oh, and as Amiga mentioned go overboard on security. Raccoons are everywhere and they are the most tenacious and vicious predator. Keeping ducks and chickens both I can say that my ducks are totally ineffective at fleeing or defending themselves.

 

[BunnyLover44]

Hey... This is BunnyLover44 and I was wondering what breed should get? Also what is a male duck and female duck called?

 

[Amiga]

Hey... This is BunnyLover44 and I was wondering what breed should get? Also what is a male duck and female duck called?

Hi, BunnyLover44

different breeds have different benefits. I like my runners and buffs because they are small, great foragers, pretty, funny, good egg layers, and their poop is great fertilizer and compost booster.

The male is the drake, and females are ducks. But several people call the girls hens or duck hens. I just call'em ducks, like male cows are bulls, but female cows are cows.

 

[BunnyLover44]

Ohh!!! That makes sense know... Thanks