Best pet duck?

[MamacatPatch]

I became a 'chicken mom' about two years ago for the first time. Now I want some ducks! Was reading this thread and was surprised to find that the MALE ducks are quieter and nicer than the females????? This is totally opposite from chickens, at least the ones I have! The males were/are, for the most part, mean, aggressive, loud and onery!

I was planning to get two basic white female ducks [forget their breed name], but now I'm not so sure! Ducks are new to me as far as raising them so I'm busy researching information on them before I order them in Feb. Should I get a male and female, two males or two females? What are the ups and downs to these combos?

I live on 100 acres in north central Indiana country and have chickens, a dog, a goat and 11 cats .... SO FAR!

Thanks for any help.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Quote:
Yes they can be kept in very cold climates but they should have some shelter at night, especially drakes due to the heavier curuncling....but mostly to protect them from predators.

The Muscovy females are not completely quiet.
They will occasionally quack if another duck bites them plus they make a soft trilling sound.
At times they have group gab-fests and can make quite a racket but its not real loud or lengthy.

 

[Countrypunk92]

I just got 4 White Pekin from TSC.

They are adorable! I hope they are JUMBOS>

 

[Duckville denizen]

Do not believe that male ducks are sweeter than females! They are very aggressive during mating season, especially if there are more males than females. We live on a creek where people apparently drop off their Easter ducks when they are no longer cute, and there is an abundance of drakes. We have been witness to three drakes literally pecking another drake to death this spring, plus at least one female has been drowned in the mating process. I rescued another female two years ago after a "gang rape" by several drakes. Her back and neck were torn and bloodied, and she was almost drowned.

 

[MamacatPatch]

Quote:
I had to come online to remember my post ... from 2008, wow! We now have 11 ducks ... 4 pekin, 5 khaki & 2 blue swede. [We also have six geese!] Of the pekin, only one is a female so we got 5 khaki girls to help balance things out. But the 3 pekins & the 2 blue swedes [both males] still ALL chase and mate with the ONE Pekin!! She looks pretty ragged and dirty most of the time and I have no idea why none of the males find the khakis worth the time and trouble ... they are over six months old now and quite fetching!!!

Nature takes it's course in the end no matter what we try to do or fix!

 

[lovesduckies]

muscovies are the best ducks for pets.

 

[pekinduck<3er]

cayugas

 

[ksmith]

I have two mallards that are about 5 weeks old, and will not come near me unless I have for or a ring on, haha. I have been tryingti get them to warm up to me but they won't! I hope they do.

 

[aineheartsyou]

I LOVE Welsh Harlequin and Runner ducks! Runner ducks are supposedly skittish but mine are the first ones to come over to me begging for treats. My WHs are the stand offish ones and kind of hang out in the back of the group and pick at the snacks that fall to the ground. However, I do have an indoor snowy mallard and I love her to pieces! I plan on turning the two silky ducks that I am expecting into house ducks as well so she has ducky friends.

 

[eaemnc]

I'm so sorry for your loss that must have been devastating!! I hope some day you have another duck that is as friendly as the one you lost.