Adding ducks and geese

[Little23]

Any info will be helpful; looking to add ducks to my flock. They will be free range with about an acre pond. I've read that geese are fairly decent protectors. What breeds would be ideal to start with looking to have around 10-12 ducks and 2-3 geese.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Why do you want ducks and geese?
Meat?
Eggs?
"For the pretty?" If so, what do you think is pretty?

What characteristics do you value?
Would you be adverse to ducklings?
Quiet?
Calm?
Self-sufficient?
Fliers?
Colour varieties?

 

[chickens really]

If kept free range your going to invite all predators to your place for free meals. A safe shelter and Run will be needed. Supervised free ranging is best.

 

[Little23]

Why do you want ducks and geese?
Meat?
Eggs?
"For the pretty?" If so, what do you think is pretty?

What characteristics do you value?
Would you be adverse to ducklings?
Quiet?
Calm?
Self-sufficient?
Fliers?
Just for looks not really interested in meat or eggs, I have kids so a calmer demeanor would be best and I have figured a limited flyer would be best if they are free range.

 

[Little23]

If kept free range your going to invite all predators to your place for free meals. A safe shelter and Run will be needed. Supervised free ranging is best.[/QUOTE
A safe shelter for nights will be provided but I dont like to have anything caged up predators must be managed no matter where you are and there will be losses and I understand that.

 

[chickens really]

Sorry you didn't appreciate my reply although many new owners romanticize the thought of free range Birds but suffer losses without knowing the risks..

 

[Little23]

Sorry you didn't appreciate my reply although many new owners romanticize the thought of free range Birds but suffer losses without knowing the risks..

I free range 50 chickens now so I'm not to worried about predators I trap alot no offense was taken

 

[sylviethecochin]

The calmest breed is Muscovy, but most of them can and do fly. They also go broody a lot.

Cayugas are a fairly calm breed (for ducks), and so are Welsh Harlequins, Pekins, and Blue Swedish.

I'd reccommend Pekins as they are unlikely to go broody and fill your pond with fifty-sixty ducklings in a year.

You'll want sexed ducklings; drakes can be really hard on ducks, and so you really only want one or two. Of you could just get all females and save yourself the trouble.

As for geese, I have no experience and no opinion.

 

[Alaskan]

Any info will be helpful; looking to add ducks to my flock. They will be free range with about an acre pond. I've read that geese are fairly decent protectors. What breeds would be ideal to start with looking to have around 10-12 ducks and 2-3 geese.

Where are you located? General climate?

I really like my muscovy.. I do recommend trimming flight feathers the first year so they imprint properly on your place. They like warmer climates though... I am about as far north as I think they are happy...

Also, they are super smart. If your kids are kind to them, bring them treats and don't chase them... then they will be friendly to the kids. But if your kids chase them or try to grab their ducklings then the drakes might attack the kids... and muscovy have long memories! I had no problems with my kids... but my kids were well trained.

Also, Musvovy love to brood. So if you do not eat them or make sure to find all nests....... you will get overrun.

As to free ranging them... I HAVE lost muscovy free ranging, but losses are greatly reduced if they have a pond, and if they stay in a nice sized group.

As to geese.... I LOVED the summer I had geese. I had a flock of 5 or 6, and even with them only being locked up at night I had ZERO losses as well as close to zero feed cost. They only like eating young grass (so, your lawn... not a pasture or field) and are not good at even graxing... so I always thought that if I got them again I would need to get a movable electric poultry fence to make sure they trimmed the entire lawn. I did not trim their wings... but they never flew off. Again though... kids need to be trained to be nice to the geese... and then the geese will be nice to the kids.

Geese though are excellent watch dogs. Definitely loud though.