➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

I bet if we had our own though he would like them! Lol

Maybe. My dad didn’t like ducks before we got them and he still doesn’t like them now. If you do get ducks, be prepared for them to tear up your yard. They have the nickname “trench diggers” at our house for a reason.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Genetic breed testing is incredibly inaccurate. They test for DNA markers found in different breeds but they still show up in other dog breeds than the original ladder that is used. Genetic marker tests in general are not very accurate, as the “roan” test in horses is a marker test and several visibly roan horses came back negative, and non-roan horses came back positive. It can only do so much. A direct mutation test is the most accurate form of genetic testing and with breed testing it just isn’t possible.

Many breeders had their purebred dogs that had traceable lineage tested with these groups and they came back as almost negative the breed they were and full of the “typical” breeds like labs, goldens, and Pyrenees.


So definitely take the test results with a grain of salt.

Wow that is really odd!! They probably definitely claim they’re popular breeds people want to hear about!! Supposedly though the embark one uses like 200K genetic markers, 100x more than any other test, and is university researchers/top canine geneticists, and way more accurate, so I kind of want to try it, at least on Franklin, but idk. They probably all are not very accurate, but it might at least maybe give more detail and more breeds than that one can’t and more accurate percentages instead of them both being exactly the same percentage. Plus it tests for a bunch of genetic diseases and supports research to cure/prevent diseases in dogs, so i kinda wanna try it but not sure it’s worth the price. But the disease info might be handy for preventative care and it might be good for Franklin at least since we suspect he’s Aussie or Collie to be able to see if he has, for example, the MDR1 sensitivity.

Maybe. My dad didn’t like ducks before we got them and he still doesn’t like them now. If you do get ducks, be prepared for them to tear up your yard. They have the nickname “trench diggers” at our house for a reason.

Hmm, that makes sense. He probably won’t like them then. Just thought maybe if he got them as little babies and was around them and saw that they are cute and friendly and won’t attack him he may get over his fear lol but oh wow, that doesn’t sound good!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

This is the Embark one

https://embarkvet.com/

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

This is the Embark one

https://embarkvet.com/

Embark uses Cornell for its research lab and that is a good sign. The health testing is usually a direct mutation test, but I’m not familiar with everything they claim to test for.

You could look at Animal Genetics for the health testing. I recommend them but they don’t do the DNA testing for breed identification, only for parentage verification.

I have used them for my horse’s color and health testing and we will be using them for our bulldogs since AKC doesn’t have any genetic testing for bulldogs.

 

[Conan]

Also apparently my dad does not want ducks. Which stinks because we have a near perfect set up for them. But he says he hates their eggs, they are too rich for him, too creamy, whatever, does not like them. Then I suggested we could just get 2 males for pets and not have the eggs (though I did suggest they are supposed to be really good for baking) and he confesses that he got attacked by ducks and therefore does not like them, does not want them, and does not think they are cute.

In his defense, ducks are total rapists. They are very cute, but can be super violent. I can't ever imagine being afraid of a duck, though. Even when I've been "bitten" by one, it doesn't really hurt. More like a pinch.
If you ever do decide to get them, I'd advise against two drakes. They may behave differently when there are no hens around, but those that I have penned together have damn near killed other. It never works out. They go from best friends to worst enemies overnight.
I am hatching ducks out this spring and plan on processing ALL the males at six months. They're delicious.

 

[Conan]

Maybe. My dad didn’t like ducks before we got them and he still doesn’t like them now. If you do get ducks, be prepared for them to tear up your yard. They have the nickname “trench diggers” at our house for a reason.

I love their grass clipping skills. I let them in my garden in winter and it looks like golf grass. They even weed the beds. Pretty funny. As soon as any sign of green is there, they are booted. They even ate my garlic one year!
I had read that garlic and onions should be safe from them... WRONG. They ate everything. I keep my garlic bed penned off now.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Embark uses Cornell for its research lab and that is a good sign. The health testing is usually a direct mutation test, but I’m not familiar with everything they claim to test for.

You could look at Animal Genetics for the health testing. I recommend them but they don’t do the DNA testing for breed identification, only for parentage verification.

I have used them for my horse’s color and health testing and we will be using them for our bulldogs since AKC doesn’t have any genetic testing for bulldogs.

Yeah, they seem a lot more reputable and like actual researchers rather than just for money which I like but they are just so expensive. But I guess that is why. The equipment must be expensive and taking that much time and care and I think they developed a more accurate test which probably took years.

That one sounds like a good one too!! Maybe I will have to look into that one.

In his defense, ducks are total rapists. They are very cute, but can be super violent. I can't ever imagine being afraid of a duck, though. Even when I've been "bitten" by one, it doesn't really hurt. More like a pinch.
If you ever do decide to get them, I'd advise against two drakes. They may behave differently when there are no hens around, but those that I have penned together have damn near killed other. It never works out. They go from best friends to worst enemies overnight.
I am hatching ducks out this spring and plan on processing ALL the males at six months. They're delicious.

Huh, that sounds kinda scary ha and wow really!? Didn’t know that! I thought from what I read if there are no hens they can get along? I know a lot of people get ducks as pets and just get a pair and I thought a lot of them got 2 drakes but maybe they got 2 hens or a drake and a hen instead? But I thought they were supposed to get along better with no hens and growing up together. BUT. That said, I also read ducks aren’t really happy unless you get them some females so then I kind of felt bad about just keeping males. Maybe he got attacked by wild ducks or a goose or something?

I love their grass clipping skills. I let them in my garden in winter and it looks like golf grass. They even weed the beds. Pretty funny. As soon as any sign of green is there, they are booted. They even ate my garlic one year!
I had read that garlic and onions should be safe from them... WRONG. They ate everything. I keep my garlic bed penned off now.

Wow that’s awesome! Geese are supposed to be very good gardeners too but I am terrified of them lol

 

[BantyChooks]

It's your "lizard-y-ness" rubbing off on her. She's using you, Banty. It's time you acknowledged this.

She's a complete manipulator. Bordering on abusive.

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

I love their grass clipping skills. I let them in my garden in winter and it looks like golf grass. They even weed the beds. Pretty funny. As soon as any sign of green is there, they are booted. They even ate my garlic one year!
I had read that garlic and onions should be safe from them... WRONG. They ate everything. I keep my garlic bed penned off now.

Our girls get so excited about the piles of leaves and mud puddles rather than grass. I will say, I love their happy chatters when they find a new something or other. Or when they are sent to bed at night and they see their bowl of food or if there is fresh water...

 

[Conan]

She's a complete manipulator. Bordering on abusive.

Would you like me to find you the number for the hotline?