Ancona Ducks

[Alice28]

Isn't that just the awesomeist thing ever?

Yes it is!!!!

 

[SilkieSensation]

You are only about an hour and a half from me. I really didn't realize that lol

lol. I didn't realize we were that close

You're both close to 2.5 hrs from me...lol

 

[Texas4T]

I got 15 a year ago. 50/50 male to female ratio. Two brown and white hens, the rest black and white, some were small, one drake was huge, most are overmarked. They started laying super early and have been going strong with loads of huge eggs. Have hatched two sets of 24 eggs, carefully using different drakes each time, excellent fertility. Got a brown in the first group. Will try to post photos from my laptop later.

Here are my Cackle ducks:

These are the older ducks, one year old April 30th, 2015
Next photo is the first hatch. One of these turned out to be brown, but she has some lacing/stippling? on the brown feathers which I understand is undesirable.

My second hatch below is from this Easter 2015. I think I got good bill and face color, and more random patterning. I kept the less heavily marked ducklings.

Here are some of the breeders. The brown is a hen, the group are some of the drakes not used in the second hatch.



I would like to see more marks on their bibs. Several of the hens have good spots under the eye, but are often over-marked.


Any comments by breeders who have been doing this much longer than I have would be GREATLY appreciated! I can use all the advice I can get. I am expecting a shipment of ducklings soon from a breeder with more different colors to add to my flock. I am interested in preserving this breed well. They are really great layers of huge eggs.
Thanks!

 

[SkinnyDragon23]

Hello! I'm new to ducks in general and I recently bought 6 Ancona ducklings. I love them so far, they're so pretty! I tried to get every color, so I have 1 black, 1 blue, 1 silver, 1 chocolate, and two that are heavily marked (supposedly one is a tricolor, but I can't tell yet). I have heard that they are very friendly, but mine are a little skittish right now. How can I make them more friendly? Also, since I am new to ducks, what is the best way to care for them bedding-wise? I am used to chickens but decided that using chicks for the ducks would be a bad idea. They make SUCH a huge mess! Would straw be better for adult ducks? How could I attempt to prevent so much water spillage? Thanks in advance!

 

[eggorthechicken]

Hello! I'm new to ducks in general and I recently bought 6 Ancona ducklings. I love them so far, they're so pretty! I tried to get every color, so I have 1 black, 1 blue, 1 silver, 1 chocolate, and two that are heavily marked (supposedly one is a tricolor, but I can't tell yet). I have heard that they are very friendly, but mine are a little skittish right now. How can I make them more friendly? Also, since I am new to ducks, what is the best way to care for them bedding-wise? I am used to chickens but decided that using chicks for the ducks would be a bad idea. They make SUCH a huge mess! Would straw be better for adult ducks? How could I attempt to prevent so much water spillage? Thanks in advance!

To make them more friendly I teach them to eat out of my hands...some of mine will...a few will not mainly my head drake. I sometimes withhold food for a few hours and then offer some from my hand. I find that helps. Do that in spurts and talk to them at the same time. I have a few now that will come up and nudge me if i'm sitting outside. They also wait for their "bedtime" snack after the chicks go to bed....which is a handful of cracked corn. After they get it, they seem satisfied and will waddle their little butts to their pen to be locked in.

spoiled ducks! For my ducklings I use pine bedding and change it often...they are just messy and they dabble and if you have them with chicks then the chicks get wet. I try to separate mine as soon as possible. Once they get outside its much better...lol. I only keep mine in for about a week or two and then they go outside in a building. My adult ducks prefer straw to bedding so they get the straw and my chickens get the bedding.

 

[learycow]

Hello! I'm new to ducks in general and I recently bought 6 Ancona ducklings. I love them so far, they're so pretty! I tried to get every color, so I have 1 black, 1 blue, 1 silver, 1 chocolate, and two that are heavily marked (supposedly one is a tricolor, but I can't tell yet). I have heard that they are very friendly, but mine are a little skittish right now. How can I make them more friendly? Also, since I am new to ducks, what is the best way to care for them bedding-wise? I am used to chickens but decided that using chicks for the ducks would be a bad idea. They make SUCH a huge mess! Would straw be better for adult ducks? How could I attempt to prevent so much water spillage? Thanks in advance!

The one with the capped head and dark body is likely a chocolate tri color.
The other one is likely not an ancona. Could be a mix. But even the tri colors should have spotted bills and feed. Anconas don't come in solid colored with a bib

 

[SilkieSensation]

Hello! I'm new to ducks in general and I recently bought 6 Ancona ducklings. I love them so far, they're so pretty! I tried to get every color, so I have 1 black, 1 blue, 1 silver, 1 chocolate, and two that are heavily marked (supposedly one is a tricolor, but I can't tell yet). I have heard that they are very friendly, but mine are a little skittish right now. How can I make them more friendly? Also, since I am new to ducks, what is the best way to care for them bedding-wise? I am used to chickens but decided that using chicks for the ducks would be a bad idea. They make SUCH a huge mess! Would straw be better for adult ducks? How could I attempt to prevent so much water spillage? Thanks in advance!

The one with the capped head and dark body is likely a chocolate tri color. The other one is likely not an ancona. Could be a mix. But even the tri colors should have spotted bills and feed. Anconas don't come in solid colored with a bib

The dark 1 looks like a khaki campbell.

 

[SkinnyDragon23]

The person I got the ducklings from didn't have any other duck breeds... of course THAT duckling was the only one that I personally did not pick out, my dad did lol XD I just assume it is an especially badly marked Ancona haha

 

[eggorthechicken]

The person I got the ducklings from didn't have any other duck breeds... of course THAT duckling was the only one that I personally did not pick out, my dad did lol XD  I just assume it is an especially badly marked Ancona haha

It's cute anyway!

I believe any baby ducks are cuties!

 

[ChickCollector]