Are they noisy?

[FromChictoChick]

Thinking of picking up six Peking ducks. .. Are they noisy? I have about an acre. Would they disturb my neighbors?

 

[Jmpeters]

Ive got pekins and the only time they quack is if someone they dont know walks out to them or when they see someone they do know carrying a bowl. And even then they only quack for maybe a min.

 

[mrsp523]

Females are the louder ones. They quack, males dont. Mine are not peking but had a friend who did and they seemed to have the same temperment as mine. They are allowed to free range on 2 acres with the chickens. They have never left the yard ~ and we have a brook behind us as well as a inground pool. They have never gone to the brook or in our pool. During non freezing months they have a few kiddy pools they can play in ~ which they love.
I think ~ but could be wrong as Im new with ducks that if you give them enough to do in their own yard and its enough space they will stick around and leave the neighbors alone. Good luck!

 

[mandelyn]

Depends on if your neighbors like the sound of early morning duck quacking or not. The boys they won't hear at all. The girls are another story. Every Mallard derived breed (which is all of them except Muscovies and some wild types/exotics). Some individuals aren't too bad. I had a Black Swedish hen who never was obnoxious. But then I had a Saxony hen and a Pekin/Mallard cross hen that announced themselves early, and when ever they heard the car door, or the house door, or footsteps on the walkway. Those two were extra noisy.

My 7 neighbors didn't mind it, they thought they were a riot, and it's not like they carry on all day, or grate the nerves like a rooster crow can. They have 3 or 4 different types of quacks. The single, loud "Quack!", the single quack said multiple times, with a 3 second pause between, and the faster quack "scales", each one a little quieter than the last and then starting over. Then just regular mumbling quacks when they talk amongst themselves. But if they want to be heard, they will be.

The noise I could handle, they were cute. It was the mess and the time to care for them that got me. Felt like all my free time was going to ducks. Either I was cleaning the pool or cleaning the coop. Working full time, exhausted, and ducks to tend to daily. The chicken water lasted 3 days. The duck water, twice a day. Wet duck patties everywhere, not like the chickens that leave a nice pile under the roost you can grab real quick. I would throw fresh bedding over it, and use an off day for cleaning out the whole thing. The waste from all the pine shavings grew the compost by leaps and bounds.

But nothing is funnier than a duck standing on the ice of the frozen solid baby pool, quacking in contempt and pecking the ice. They're not amused by winter.

 

[FromChictoChick]

Are other breeds quieter than pekings?

 

[Going Quackers]

Are other breeds quieter than pekings?

Muscovy are.

 

[FromChictoChick]

Are Muscovy as flighty as I've heard?
Also, are the males as aggressive as I've heard?

 

[Grassman 52]

I can tell you from my own experience - Had Pekins and Muscovy's. Hands down Muscovy's are the best (IMHO) they are quiet, friendly, clean, and eat a lot of bugs (taste great too).I only have one Pekin left out of 20 - they were too loud for me not my neighbors.

 

[Grassman 52]

I forgot to add - I have had no problems (knock on wood) from any of my drakes - I have 5 with 15 ducks. I love to watch them with my morning coffee. The drakes have their favorite ducks that they lay next to in the sun and they seem to all get along very well. My ducks share a large yard with chickens and 6 geese and the Muscovy's and geese spend a lot of time grazing and trying to get some sun this time of year.