adopting adult ducks?

[eco2pia]

So, I am still thinking over my duck plans and I was wondering, would any of you recommend adult ducks or ducklings for the first time duck owner? I was wanting slug eaters in a suburban yard, so they need to be calm and well-adjusted, and for that I was thinking I need ducklings who get used to me and our yard from the get go. True? False?

The reason I was asking is that Holderread's only sells BEI's as adults...Trying to decide what/where to buy. Can't imagine shipping an adult duck does much for it's disposition. Could also get BEI's from Ideal as ducklings, probably lesser quality...but slug eaters, maybe that doesn't matter.

I'm soo indecisive!

 

[NoseyChickens]

I would start with ducklings. That way you can really spend the time interacting with them and getting them used to being around people. They grow so fast it is amazing. Besides they are just so dang cute when they are tiny. You don't want ti miss out on that!

 

[Blooming chicks]

I can give you one advantage to adopting older--the duckling brooder is the smelliest, nastiest thing to keep up with. I actually moved my duck brooder to the porch so I didn't have to smell it--and I changed it 2x's daily. Nothing like my chicken brooders. I purchased an older duck to keep a single drake happy and she was very sweet--she was raised by a 4-H'er. You also can purchase the sex and number of each you want. Good luck on your decision.

 

[katharinad]

If you don't want any loud quacking going then you need to stay away from females. If you have one female and one boy it will be pretty quiet too, with the occasional quack due to excitement. You are out of luck once you have 2 females or more because they will chat all day and one will top this due to taking a dominant role.

Check out www.metzer.com for ducklings. They let you order small quantities and will sex them for you.

 

[eco2pia]

Bummer though, metzer doesn't have bantam breeds...sigh. only Holderread's or Ideal so far as I know.

Yeah, trying to weigh the cuteness against the stench. I think I have to go through the stench, I need them to be calm and comfortable here. And I want just one pair, so I am gonna have some to sell off I guess.

 

[CityChicker]

Okay, if you want them to be calm and friendly, especially BEI, you will be sorely disappointed getting them as adults especially from a large farm. I know that some people here have had good experiences with BEI, but mine were wild as all get out. Mine came from Holderread's as day-olds, but I know they don't sell them that way anymore. The personality difference between them and the other ducklings they came with was night and day, but they could have been tamer had they not been raised with 30 other ducklings.

When you raise large groups of multiple breeds together, the differences in personality really begin to show (it is hard to see when a person only raises a few at a time). The BEI were far and away the least friendly when I got them and hence, I never really liked them (they are beautiful birds though). Add to this the added issue of buying adult stock from a large farm, where they do not get a lot of hands-on attention and the result will probably be much disappointment. If your heart is set on BEI (really regardless of breed if you want calm/tame birds), you need to raise them in a small group from duckling to adulthood. Almost anything can be tame if raised from babies in a small group. You may simply have to order them from Ideal next year or find a breeder willing to ship you eggs/ducklings. Come Spring, you will definitely be able to find breeders selling eggs in the BEI.