Thinking About Getting Ducks...

[amyc]

and I'm wondering if everyone could fill me in on some of the downsides of having ducks. I don't have a whole lot of room for free ranging, and right now I only let my chickens free range for a couple hours at night. Would a duck be OK with that? Also I'd prefer to have a quieter duck (would like to keep the neighbors happy). Does anyone have any suggestions on breeds?

Thanks!

 

[FenDruadin]

Ducks are great. I think your ducks would be fine with a set-up similar to your chickens, as long as they also have bathing water (a small kiddie pool works fine for this). I'm assuming you are planning to get more than one--one would be terribly lonely and confused, and probably begin to think it was a chicken, but the chickens would know better and probably pick on it. So get at least two. And ducks in general are quieter than chickens, so no worries there--as long as you don't get a call duck or something notoriously loud like that.

There are down sides. Here is what I can think of:

They are very, very messy, even compared with chickens. Their poop is wet and they walk all over it with webbed feet, smashing it into the bedding. Because they drink so much, they poop more than chickens too. You will have to change their water every couple days and probably the bedding too (I use a deep litter method and only change the bedding once a year--the rest of the time, I just sprinkle fresh straw on top of the old, but I have to do that every day to keep their pen in good condition).

They like to "roost" on the ground, so they are more prone to predation from foxes and raccoons and such. They also are not as predictable about going into their house at night, so it is harder to shut them in--it can be done, it's just more work.

They are often not as consistent about laying their eggs in a nest. Mine tend to lay them either randomly around the pen (where they get pooped on), or in a ground nest hole that is dug so deeply into the ground that it is muddy. The eggs, therefore, are generally very dirty and require washing before use.

Hmmm... That's all I can think of. On the up side, the eggs are larger and more nutritious, ducks are quieter and gentler, they are cuter (in my humble opinion), they tend to be hardier, and they're very, very fun to watch. Also, they are more resistant to cold, and need very little shelter from the elements, but MUST be sheltered thoroughly from predators.

Good luck either way!

 

[ChickenToes]

I think the biggest downside for me is the poop. Holy moly, they poop a lot. And it stinks.

But the upsides more than outweigh the downsides. Ducks are egg laying machines, can tolerate the cold temperatures in winter, and they have such sweet, goofy personalities.

 

[headred]

I live in town and have 6 ducks. My pekin is the loudest thing ever, but doesn't bother my neighbors (she bothers me more!). My khakis are relatively quiet and lay daily eggs. I've heard muscovies make no noise and are great layers. See my website if you have a minute for my daily (sometimes weekly) dose of living with ducks in town. If you scroll to the beginning of my blog (choose the duck tab) you can see my ducks from the beginning and how we deal with them. Ducks are a lot of fun and grow on you quickly!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

muscovies! i just love 'em! get a couple ladies and not only will your bugs be greatly reduced - you'll get lovely eggs. and they are very sweet and fun to watch.

downside - um.. might be a little wet to keep with chickens. that being said - we've done it and in fact i have one brooding a clutch right now in the hen house.. if you can make a separate shelter for them.

other downside... umm... not so much the poop than they make their own mud which you can control..but its something to think about.

do it! ducks are great!

 

[Brassmaster]

My Khaki Campbells are pretty quiet. The neighbors don't seem to even notice them. The only time they make any real noticable amount of noise is when something startles them or something new is introduced into the pen. Then they have to have a "committee meeting" to discuss what to do to , about, or with, whatever it is that is new. This "committee meeting" usually involves all 5 of them walking in a circle quacking until they reach a decision. Most of the time it seems to me that the decision that is reached amounts to going to some other part of the pen and laying down. LOL

The poop is a bit of an issue especially if you have limited space. You will have to stay on top of that or it can become a mess rapidly.

They will spread water EVERYWHERE! I have never seen another creature that could take a cup of water and soak everything within 6 feet. They love to play in the water and we only fill up their play tub on special occasions otherwise they would keep the pen a mud hole. Once they get water on the ground then it is drilling time. If you don't know, drilling is when they find a muddy spot and start poking at it with their bill looking for bugs, grit and whatever it is they think is down there. The net result are little, to not so little, holes in the yard. I have to move the pen frequently and patch up the holes.

Don't want to sound negative on ducks, they actually are a lot of fun. They are a hoot to sit down and watch (just don't let them know you are watching them or they will just sit there) and they will most likely get along with your chickens. I turn out both my chickens and ducks into a 100 sq.ft. play pan and they get along fine.

 

[FenDruadin]

Oh, yeah. I forgot about the mudholes. Last year, mine found the outlet for the air conditioner tube--you know the one that drains the moisture from the AC unit? Within days, that section of the lawn was a muddy hole.

I don't have too much trouble in their pen, though, because I use a deep litter method, and while they do drill under the straw, they're not able to spread the mud very far--the straw keeps it pretty contained.

 

[Ashmeade]

I had ducks as a kid and loved them. Tried them now and they were VERY messy. Got into every water container on the farm and sludged it. Got into dogs' food (it is AMAZING how they can suck up those large dogfood pellets up like an anteater!). They got into horses' feed__ANY feed really so had to make sure they were penned up before feeding (and THAT was always a task to get them collected up).

Needless to say, they are quite happy at a friend of mine's pond located WELL away from their barn, etc.

 

[FenDruadin]

Hmm--I haven't had the feed problem. That's funny, because it's my goats who are constantly into everyone else's feed--that and my toddler

. He likes duck (or goat or dog) food better than people food, when he can get it.

After a couple years messing around with the routine, I finally have one that works for me in regards to feeding & penning. Mine free range during the day, and it used to be a devil of a time getting them back in their pen at night. Now, when I open their pen to let them out in the morning, I also remove the food, and place it inside the basement door with their feed. I don't feed them again until evening, when I place the food back in their pen and let them in. They're so anxious to eat, they don't notice they're getting locked in until it's too late.

I personally wouldn't worry over-much about the feed problem. I have to keep the food locked up anyway to protect against raccoons, possums, neighborhood dogs, etc. And the animals all get fed separately--the dog indoors, the livestock outdoors--so they don't really have an opportunity to get into anyone else's food.

They DO make a mess, though. I can't let them in with the goats, because goats are very picky about their water, and a duck within three feet of any body of water will make it sludgy and disgusting. lol

 

[Emzyyy]

I have ducks and I love them to death but they are way messier than any chicken I have ever had. They like spilling all the water in the coop onto the floor making it muddy so I have to clean it everyday, even though they have a sled full of water in the run.