Ancona vs Spotted Australian vs Mini Appleyard???

[heirlooms]

I am interested in having ducks. I have chickens but no experience with ducks. They would be raised in a 1 acre backyard with an 8 foot fence, that is in a neighborhood. I would have them in the same fenced area as my chickens. I need birds that would be good mothers and have a calm personality. The Holderead farm suggested mini applewhites or australian spotted. As I was researching those two breeds, I cam across the Ancona and fell in love with the spots on these beauties. Does anyone have any experience with these breeds? I seem to find info on AS and MA much easier than on the Ancona. Can anyone tell me anything about the Ancona vs the other breeds??

I did not think to add, I live where the summers are hotter than h... and long, in Austin Texas.

 

[asher]

No clue about the Ancona at all. I have Australian Spotteds and absolutely adore them. They're the cutest miniature duck I have ever seen. I hand raised the drake and he is the sweetest thing. Personally, I think he believes he's a human, not a duck!

 

[pirtykitty]

Hello!!! Asher,
I am also hopping to get some Australian spotted later next year.. How are they with egg laying, noise level, do they fly very well etc. where did you get yours and were you able to get all three colors in both male and female.. oh and how much room do they need for sleeping quarters etc
thank you
christine Waco, texas

 

[asher]

I have not had mine that long. The drake I hatched out in June and I got the girls soon after (they were from April and came from holderreads (sp?)).

They do make noise. They are not as noisy as my call ducks were, though. I am used to the sound now, though and love it. Every time they see us pull in the yard, they "call" to us and it sounds like laughing. hehe I just adore the sound so I can't call them noisy. hehe

I did have all three colors in the males originally, but sold three pairs and just have my remaining green head drake that I hatched out. I hatched him out of eggs from poorridgeranch.com. Terri is wonderful!

They DO fly, but I have a completely enclosed pen so I don't know how well they fly. I do know they'll fly out of the pool to the other side of the run when they're feeling spunky, though.

Mine have not started laying, yet. I expect them to this coming year. Someone that has had them for longer will have to report on that aspect of it.

I don't have any recent pics of my "babies" on this computer or I would share. Will see if I can get some tomorrow after work. I ended up keeping one that looks very peachy (that's her name

) and the other two are brownish with darker brown and look more female mallard like, I believe, as does the drake (with the green head). I had whiter hens as well with small streaks of black and then another brownish one. One of the brown hens I have now is a lighter brown, though.