Bantam Duck Page

[jbear]

Here are some of my Butters .. This is the only color I am working with(in ducks ), and they are definitely a work in progress. I sure love these little guys!

You can see the rest of them here....
http://bearfoothollow.blogspot.com/p/butterscotch-call-ducks.html
Nice to see so many other call/bantam duck folks!

 

[DMSrabbit]

Heres my Black East Indies.. I just rescued these guys from a lady who needed to re-home them when her barn burnt down. I have NEVER had ducks before and they are my first pair.. Its been an interesting experience thus far, and they have been a real hoot!! So heres some pics of them..

Also, i dont know ANYTHING about ducks.. I know that the Black East Indie's are somewhat of a "rarer" breed, so im lucky to have this pair to begin my duck experience. They love my chickens, and ADORE my BLRW rooster.. He keeps them protected from the local hawk population!
So heres my questions:

#1- Are Black East Indies really rare? and if so, how rare are they? Or are they common?
#2- I have no idea what to look for in ducks, are these guys good looking BEI's? do they appear to be "hatchery stock" or breeding quality?
#3- They just started breeding today, so what do i need for them in order to lay eggs and for her to clutch/raise them?
#4- If she clutches them, or i raise incubate and raise them, what do BEI ducklings go far pricewise? (im just wondering if i should keep them long-term)

Thanks for any info you can give me

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
Just a matter of curiosity to me here, Jbear...has this hen ever thrown any silver apricots? I notice that her bill appears very orange without the darker tinge of many Butter hens, and I have heard that this can be indicative of either a Call that is a silver apricot (which she does not appear to be in any other way) or one that can throw that color of sport. Certain lines of Butters are known to throw silver apricot sports and this is something I am interested in finding out more about. Your drake has the greenish bill characteristic of Butter drakes but I've heard that this also may not matter to what is lurking in the genetics.

 

[purplefrog]

Quote:
These little ones are just too cute! They are adorable.

 

[jbear]

If this is my older hen and I am pretty sure she is -I have to check the bands to be positive- her offspring where all typical butter color. She is the least typey hen I have, besides bill color, she is a little bigger than what I am trying to work towards. She has a nice shape tho if that makes sense. So. I guess to answer your question - nope, no silver apricots here! Bet that's a nice color!

 

[jason_mazzy]

your ducks on the first page look like lil Welsh Harlequin. I want some!

 

[KateBeauchemin]

Call ducks hatching questions......

We have successfully hatched out many colors of calls, under hens.
Very few in an incubator.
Had a breeder tell us to pip for the ducklings on day of hatch, since our incubated eggs aren't working out so well.

Has anyone used this method?
If so, can you explain the process.

We are due next weekend, and my sister-in-law has so many in her incubator, and we'd like a great hatch.

Thanks in advance.
Send a message, if you don't want this subject on the page. I just don't see any page with just calls.

Blessings!

 

[dmiravalle]

The breeder told us to do that too! We candled them they day they were due, then used tweezer to make a small opening through the shell and membrane, then let them sit, then over about 14 hours we kept chipping away, and walla a chick, however we only hatched four and I am beginning to wonder if it was beginners luck?????????

 

[dmiravalle]

I do have a ducky question.

Our call duck hen is on her first season, we have seen the pair mate a few times. She is being EXTREMELY loud the last week, calling a lot! Does that mean she is close to laying???? How can you tell if they are going to lay? Any advice?

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
That makes sense...I like the shape of her head. Nice color on her head too.

The silver apricots are a seldom seen rarity that does crop up, and they are pretty neat looking! There is a pair pictured in the Call Duck Varieties book...the males are harder to tell than the females. At this time, they are a non-standard variety.