What kind of ducks are these? Or maybe they're geese?

[itsy]

We went to get ice cream tonight and saw these beautiful ducks. I'd love to know what kind they are and if there's a special name for their coloring. They had the most melodic quacking sounds - each one quacked at a different note and at different speeds. They were like a quacking band.

They came over as soon as they saw us, much unlike the other ducks/geese there who could care less. Here I am saying "oh look, they're coming over!"

And then I proceeded to drop my ice cream cone. Don't mind the photos - they're from my phone.

We thought the larger dark one was a male, but could be incorrect:

These photos don't do their coloration justice.

This one was very blue looking in person:

Any ideas as to what they are? P.S. I refused to share my bf's cone (I wanted my OWN!) lol. So we walked back to get me another cone and the nice girl there insisted I take it for free because mine dropped. Very nice of them. Besides - we paid almost $8.00 for two cones - so at least I got closer to my money's worth!!

 

[StevenW.]

I see a Black Swedish Drake, a Blue Swedish Female, and the other 2 look like a mix between A Blue Swedish and a Rouen.

 

[desertdarlene]

They're various mix breed ducks with at least a couple of Swedish and one that looks to be a buff-hybrid.

I hope they didn't eat your ice cream because it'll give them a tummy ache.

 

[itsy]

It will?!

As soon as the dang thing dropped, they ate it quicker than I've seen my chickens eat yogurt.

Well if I knew it would have hurt them, I would have picked it up. I didn't intentionally drop it, either....I was waiting for that cone all day!

I'll research the different types of ducks out there. It would be nice to add some to the farm one of these days. Next on the list is quail, though. I have more chickens in the bator as well as turkey and guineas. So ducks are last at the moment!

 

[desertdarlene]

They'll be fine, it's just not good for their tummies.

 

[GrannyCarol]

I'd say the big one is a Swedish drake (or looks like one anyway) and the others may be Swedish or Swedish crossed with Khaki Campbells. The brown ones look just like Khakis with a bib.

Here's a great site to research ducks:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Ducks/BRKDucks.html

 

[animalpro24]

Their mane breeds are buff, black swedish, blue swedish and Khaki Campbell. The second photo looks like those two are male but I'm not sure with the brown one. The others look like females.
It looks like they were probably "dumped" because of how friendly they are to you and the breeds they are.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I hope some one takes them home they are so pretty

 

[javajanie]

Beautiful ducks. Based on the breeds and the way you describe them acting, it sounds like they were pets that were dumped and hungry.

Every time I go to my orthodontist's office by this manmade lake, there are loads of call ducks, pekins, geese, and mallards. I take a big bag full of my duck food. They are always eager to be fed. Thankfully one day I ran into a lady that said she feeds them every day, stale bread and cracked corn, not the best, but at least someone nearby is taking care of the "dump-ees".

 

[itsy]

They didn't look thin at all to me. As a kid, I remember feeding the Canadian Geese with my parents all the time. They came up to us even without food because they learned that people usually will bring food. I wouldn't doubt that they started as pet dumps, but I'm wondering which generation they are and how used to living on their own they are.

There's a small lake there and there are plenty of other ducks - looks like mostly rouens and a couple pekins. We watched the ones in the water munching on duckweed. The rouens are reproducing like crazy - unless they were also a dump...... who knows!

They have a very large "duck crossing" sign between the little park and the houses so that people drive slowly down the street. We often see the fancier ducks in someone's yard across the way.

Thanks for that link, GrannyCarol!!!