best egg layer duck thats good mannered?

[mjlabs]

which duck breed is the best egg producer with a good disposition? Last year I ordered welsh harlequins but they were DOA at the post office. Would like to try again this year but maybe from a local feed store. I understood from the hatchery that ducks cant survive as long as chickens when being shipped. Looking for opinions on a breed............. thanks

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

stick with welsh harlequins, great layers with great personalities

if you wanna try hatching some I sell eggs...check out my website or BYC page. Khaki Cambells are also a good breed. Or runners

 

[TLWR]

Tomorrow will be the 1 year anniversary as to when my runners started laying. Ally laid over 300 eggs this year. She's the egg laying machine. Mine are friendly, but I raised 3 and spent lots of time with them. They aren't quite as nuts as they "should" be.
Now if I could only figure out where she laid the one this morning as it wasn't next to Cadbury's LOL

Day old ducklings shouldn't have much issue with shipping within the US. 2 days being shipped around should still leave them healthy and good to go.
If you go the feed store route, you may not know which is which and they might not have a clue what they were shipped.

 

[Amiga]

I have runners and a couple of buffs now, and my feeling is that ducks' personalities reflect how they're raised. So if you're starting with babies, you can raise lovely ducks.

They need some time and attention and patience.

 

[Cowgirl71]

I've never had ducks, but I'm wanting to get some Muscovies this year!

From what I've read, the best egg laying duck breeds are Khaki Campbells and Runners.

 

[agregg15]

You should try ordering with Metzer or Holderreads, my WH that came from Metzers arrived in excellent condition and I've heard from many people that Holderreads is an excellent hatchery as well. As for a breed, my Khaki Campbells have been laying almost everyday even though it's the middle of winter, without a light. Mine are a little skittish, but I've heard that's the breed standard. Welsh Harlequins are calm and mine are still young so they haven't started laying, but they are supposed to be excellent layers. I've also heard runners are excellent layers, but skittish. My vote is Welsh Harlequins because they are calm and everyone says that they are great layers.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

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At least that's been my experience. It has nothing to do with breeds, but it has everything to do with imprinting, personal disposition etc. I don't find much attitude range in mallards, unlike chickens, which have certain = certain personalities...

 

[mjlabs]

Quote:
I received the ducks on the 3rd or 4th day when ordered from efowl.com When I talked to the guy he apologized and said that sometimes they will be shipped through chicagos ohare airport for example and get held there for a day and that will kill them, that one extra day. I probably wont go the feed store route unless some chickens/ducks dont make it. The thing with buying at a store is EVERYONE (including small children) come in the door and want to hold them all, also you may think you know what you bought but find out later its not.....just my opinion.

 

[mjlabs]

duck&chickencrazy :

stick with welsh harlequins, great layers with great personalities

if you wanna try hatching some I sell eggs...check out my website or BYC page. Khaki Cambells are also a good breed. Or runners

I probably will get some welsh again this year, but as ducklings. I wouldnt mind hatching eggs but I do not have the equipment to do so right now. Thanks anyways....

Nice website by the way...

 

[Rosebud 18]

My harlequins are very calm and really good layers so far. I got them from Metzers in april they started laying the first week in sept. and haven't missed a day giving me an egg. My blue and my black swedes are the same. My runners are laying but not everyday and they are very skiddish.