My teenage daughter wants ducks 😍

[New duck mommy 2021]

I myself started out with just 2 sisters
They were inseparable
But my husband thought white dubjz were boring and wanted another one
So we got a khaki Campbell
thank goodness we did cause the one sister ate a penny and died
If I didn’t have peep my daisy would have been alone and a complete mess
Although peep is great with daisy and he puts her on a pedestal like she is the queen I still at times need to separate as he has needs
He has never hurt her but her neck area can get raw
Since then the addiction to these amazing birds has lead me to 16 ducks
I have kid pools that I drilled a hole in the side at the bottom and added a hose so when I need to drain it I turn the switch
So much easier then trying to flip it full of water
I to also have deeper fish ponds my ducks live to dive in
One in ground and a pain to clean. I use a pump and then my shop vacc
The other is above ground with a slide as a ladder they walk up and down to get in and out
I added a drain to the side at the bottom and attached a hose
So much better to clean
Tips to keep them from digging around pools they splash in
I bought a fake grass and put it around mh in ground pond
This was my best thing ever
My kid pools sit on our brick Patio that’s covered
I Spray the poo on the grass in the evening and it keeps it green and flies away
Keep water buckets off grass as they will drill holes like mad if the ground is wet
Although they cleared my ant issue I had to fill little holes too
Make sure to get a first aid kit before hand
This is so important so you aren’t running around looking for things to help your ducks in emergency situations
I’ll add to hollowofwisps most important durvet vitamin b complex you also want durvet calcium gluconate
Females at times can get egg bound even when you do supply calcium
Very important with females
Crushed oyster shells is a must in a Side dish for girls
the pond with the slide use ti have beautiful grass like in the picture
They ruined it so I will be adding fake grass around it this year like my other pond

 

[Ridgeback825]

Hi there,
My teenage daughter is wanting 2 ducks. We don't have a set up for them yet so this will be next yrs endeavor. We don't have a pond, but read abt burying a kiddie pool. Just trying to learn abt them.
Do I need more than 2, these will be just pets?
Space requirements??
Will it be a big deal of we end up with a boy and a girl??

Shes convinced we can keep them with the chickens...but I told her .
Not gonna happen lol..ducks are messy.

Lend me your knowledge please!!

They are awesome! We too planned in keeping our pair of pekins with our chickens due to bad advice. We luckily got 1 male and 1 female but the drake turned aggressive towards the chickens once he became of age to breed. Now we have to separate the ducks. I will say that our girl duck out lays any chicken I ha e ever seen. She has layed almost every day for about 4 months straight! She's an absolute machine! We use a kiddie pool and it works great. Just understand that you have to dump and refill it daily as it will be a mess in an hour. Lol

 

[BelovedBirds]

I actually want to throw another thought in here, add to what I already said
When it comes to breeds, my advice would be to choose something that both suits you, and is hardy in itself
I do believe some breeds are healthier than others. When it comes to choosing hens over drakes, a lot of eggs may seem like a bonus but excessive laying could compromise their health in the long run.

For example, a common choice are pekins- they are wonderful, but they're very large so are pretty prone to leg issues, and also lay a ton of eggs. So I'd advice against them personally, there are generally healthier breeds
If you like that look (personally I love white ducks, but I'm biased lol), I'd look for a crossbreed, something a little smaller or that lays a little less frequently

Just a thought to throw in! It's something I do wish I'd considered before starting my duck journey

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

They are awesome! We too planned in keeping our pair of pekins with our chickens due to bad advice. We luckily got 1 male and 1 female but the drake turned aggressive towards the chickens once he became of age to breed. Now we have to separate the ducks. I will say that our girl duck out lays any chicken I ha e ever seen. She has layed almost every day for about 4 months straight! She's an absolute machine! We use a kiddie pool and it works great. Just understand that you have to dump and refill it daily as it will be a mess in an hour. LolView attachment 3433595

Beautiful birds!!
Thanks for your input!!!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I actually want to throw another thought in here, add to what I already said
When it comes to breeds, my advice would be to choose something that both suits you, and is hardy in itself
I do believe some breeds are healthier than others. When it comes to choosing hens over drakes, a lot of eggs may seem like a bonus but excessive laying could compromise their health in the long run.

For example, a common choice are pekins- they are wonderful, but they're very large so are pretty prone to leg issues, and also lay a ton of eggs. So I'd advice against them personally, there are generally healthier breeds
If you like that look (personally I love white ducks, but I'm biased lol), I'd look for a crossbreed, something a little smaller or that lays a little less frequently

Just a thought to throw in! It's something I do wish I'd considered before starting my duck journey

Thank you so much for all this info!

 

[Zdonahoe]

Now I can say I have my muskies with my chickens but I got 2 females and 1 male, haven't had any issues but that isn't saying that you wouldn't have issues. But I have had everything from Pekin to wóod ducks. Honestly my favorite breed that I've had is my muskies. They are quiet, self sufficient, very very friendly I don't know if that common or not, but I honestly can't complain about them and would suggest them to anybody.

 

[Ridgeback825]

Thank you so much for all this info!

You're welcome! Their first baby hatched this morning!

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

You're welcome! Their first baby hatched this morning!View attachment 3434282

Omg!!! I love it!!!