Switching from Chickens to Ducks - Should I?

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm considering switching from chickens to ducks. Slowly...but I'm considering it. I would be hatching some Khaki Campbells and waiting for them to start laying while I slowly reduce my flock of chickens.

Please tell me all the reasons I Should or Should Not, in your opinions?

A little explanation on my part of why I'm even thinking about doing it:

• I can't keep roosters where I live but I can keep drakes, I love hatching poultry and I would love to be able to continue hatching without needing to purchase all of my hatching eggs.
• It's my understanding that I can allow ducks to wander through my garden and eat pests without destroying established plants, is this even true? One of my biggest reasons would be because they're free range area would be in my "perennial food forest", this is where I grow lots of fruit trees, berry bushes, bulb flowers, etc.
• They lay more eggs than chickens.
• Ducks are cute!

Anyway, I will be doing a lot of reading but I would love opinions from those that keep both chickens and ducks or maybe made the change themselves!

 

[Lilchickherder]

I have both ducks and chickens. And honestly, ducks are way less destructive than chickens. (I have 8 muscovies) My chickens are kept in a run and the ducks are allowed to free range because they don't destroy my gardens like chickens. My ducks are more consistent layers and are hardier than the chickens in the winter. The ducks are less cuddly than the chickens but they're less likely to get eaten by predators too.

However, my ducks like to hide their eggs. And if you find them, they'll move their laying spot until you can't find them. This has resulted in a couple ducks ending up being eaten by coyotes because they hide their nest so far away and then get broody. They're also obsessed with going in our horses water trough instead of their own little pond, approx the same size. You need to make sure to have a good area of water for them to bathe and drink because they need the water to keep the oil on their feathers and to drink while eating so they don't choke.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I have both ducks and chickens. And honestly, ducks are way less destructive than chickens. (I have 8 muscovies) My chickens are kept in a run and the ducks are allowed to free range because they don't destroy my gardens like chickens. My ducks are more consistent layers and are hardier than the chickens in the winter. The ducks are less cuddly than the chickens but they're less likely to get eaten by predators too.

However, my ducks like to hide their eggs. And if you find them, they'll move their laying spot until you can't find them. This has resulted in a couple ducks ending up being eaten by coyotes because they hide their nest so far away and then get broody. They're also obsessed with going in our horses water trough instead of their own little pond, approx the same size. You need to make sure to have a good area of water for them to bathe and drink because they need the water to keep the oil on their feathers and to drink while eating so they don't choke.

Awesome! Thank you! Coming up with an easy clean pool set-up is going to be one of the big ones for me. Not only do I want to be able to easily change out the water daily without hurting my back but I think it would be really cool if I could figure out a way to get the drain off on the duck water to go around all of my fruit trees. That's going to take some time figuring it out on my part.

 

[Lilchickherder]

Awesome! Thank you! Coming up with an easy clean pool set-up is going to be one of the big ones for me. Not only do I want to be able to easily change out the water daily without hurting my back but I think it would be really cool if I could figure out a way to get the drain off on the duck water to go around all of my fruit trees. That's going to take some time figuring it out on my part.

They definitely can make it dirty quick! Just need something with a drain plug on the bottom so it can flow out easily.