Keeping ducks - ratio of males to females/various species

[wunderlong88]

I think I may order 3 or 4 varieties of ducklings to raise together. They will be free ranging during the day and in my chicken coop at night. I have a large full/running creek for them. I think I mainly want Appleyards - as they sound like a good fit for us and I am hoping they might be broody from time to time. Considering Cayuga, Mallard, and Muscovy (black). Looking for the best free ranging (during the day) options.

Not sure how to determine how many/which species drakes I can keep. I am thinking about something like this:
4 Appleyards (female)
1 Appleyard (female)
2 Cayuga (female)
2 Rouen(female)
2 Muscovy (female)
and if I could keep another male I would but not sure which breed.

I am hoping to keep the Appleyards producing for meat.

Any thoughts? Better options?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy forage very well. Mine even walk around at night gobbling up bugs and worms. I would not keep more than one male for 6-10 females no matter the breed you choose. Muscovy are very productive and can make good meat birds.

I have no experience with the other breeds. I did keep a mix of mallard based breeds long ago, and I was reluctant to remove the extra males and the hens paid for it. Never again. Drakes mate a lot and will fight. Best to keep just one or 3. Two will often go at it constantly especially when confined.

 

[aart]

and in my chicken coop

Do you have chickens too?
Male ducks can fatally damage female chickens if they try to mate.

 

[wunderlong88]

Yes, I do but I have not had problems in the past with that and I have 25 acres for all of them to free range on. They are only confined at night.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I keep my muscovy with my chickens. There's occasionally some back and forth with goosing each other. The only time I've had problems is when ducklings are raised by chicken hens. Than they get messed up and will cause problems. As long as the species are raised separately I haven't seen any problems with combining them.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I think I may order 3 or 4 varieties of ducklings to raise together. They will be free ranging during the day and in my chicken coop at night. I have a large full/running creek for them. I think I mainly want Appleyards - as they sound like a good fit for us and I am hoping they might be broody from time to time. Considering Cayuga, Mallard, and Muscovy (black). Looking for the best free ranging (during the day) options.

Not sure how to determine how many/which species drakes I can keep. I am thinking about something like this:
4 Appleyards (female)
1 Appleyard (female)
2 Cayuga (female)
2 Rouen(female)
2 Muscovy (female)
and if I could keep another male I would but not sure which breed.

I am hoping to keep the Appleyards producing for meat.

Any thoughts? Better options?

Did you mean to say that the 1 appleyard would be a male? Your list has all females