Ducks 101

[Tookie]

They’re in California too. All of mine have come from CA but I have heard that TN is faster no matter where you live, hence why they built the TN hatchery. Something to do with being near a USPS hub or something like that.

Oh, I didn't know that. So you choose where they come from?

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Oh, I didn't know that. So you choose where they come from?

Nope you don’t get to choose. I would assume surrounding CA states get ‘em from there and everywhere else TN but I really don’t know

 

[Tookie]

Nope you don’t get to choose. I would assume surrounding CA states get ‘em from there and everywhere else TN but I really don’t know

I might order from them!

Anyone else recommend any hatcheries?

 

[faithandfeathers]

I bought my ducks from Cackle Hatchery. Everyone came beautifully healthy and gendered properly as well. I love the personality of my khakis, and they're adorable. I got Muscovies from someone local here. My biggest problem with them is that they try to perch on everything! And they do fly. They are only 17 weeks old, so maybe that will calm down when they get older? I have 3 that are full grown, and they are not as mischievous.
Ducks are like toddlers. If you hear them getting really excited about something, they are probably up to no good.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I don't want meat birds, which Pekins are more of a meat bird right? I would like a duck that lays about 200-300 eggs a day. Do ducks that lay more eggs tend to get more reproduction issues like production chicken breeds do?

I haven't thought about them, they could be a possibility.

Thank you for this info!


Any breeds that are more heat tolerant? Also ones that can't fly away?

My Swedish, pekin and pekin / khaki crosses don’t fly
My pekin lays a lot of eggs
She has only missed a few days since she started 14 months ago
Minus her 37 days off when she sat on her eggs for 30 days and then took a week to start laying again
Her daughters the khaki cross pekin have laid an egg everyday since they started in may and my one Swedish girl that’s just started a month ago has laid 99% of the days only missing a few days
These are the only breeds I own so I can’t comment on other ones
Khaki and Muscovy can fly but you can clip a flight wing to prevent this
As for heat we get 30-40 c in the summer and I haven’t had issues
I provide shade , water and cement covered patio they enjoy laying on when it’s hot out

 

[Tookie]

What about My Pet Chicken?

I would also like them to be higher quality, so that depends on the hatchery.

 

[Tookie]

What should I feed them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Waterfowl starter if you only have waterfowl.

 

[Tookie]

Waterfowl starter if you only have waterfowl.

I do have chickens so...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since I have a mixed flock too I use a NON GMO starter for babies and then change over to NON GMO layer and NON GMO 6 way grains. I am going to see if I can find an all flock in NON GMO at the feed store here since last time I was there they had gotten in a huge shipment of feed. Not many companies make an all flock. or not many feed stores carry it.