Call duck pics

[bemba]

Hey guys, As some of you will already know, I am call duck mad! I also am in Australia. Here our calls are still quite big. Just wondering if all the tiny calls you see on feathersite etc are common through the U.S and the U.K? Please send some pics, anyone and everyone!

Do they really get as small as 400g?

 

[CityChicker]

I don't know what the average weight for Calls is here in the states, but size is one of the easiest traits to breed for in ducks. You would probably be better served to buy the best quality you can find there and selectively breed from that (rather than import eggs or birds). I have been doing some breeding tests for size and altering size using Mallards and I can more than double the size of a Mallard in only two generations. Going down in size is a little more difficult, but not much. All of the bantam ducks I have worked with are influenced by feed intake as much as genetics, if not more (with respect to size). I would get the best stock you can, select for size (if that is your top concern over type), feed a good but restricted diet, and select for size again in the next generation. You will be very surprised at how quickly you can increase or decrease.

 

[bemba]

Hey Citychicker, You know you're the third person to say that limiting feed does impact size...... I always thought that a bird can only grow to what its genetics allow, eg two ducklings same breed same clutch, 1 is fed a wide range of foods and the other just crumbles, wouldnt duck 1 just grow quicker than 2 but eventuate to the same thing? Cause I know when I have handraised ducklings they seem to accept more foods than the ones left on their own, and they grew rapidly. But I am definately still interested in type as well as size, but I have found with the calls here that if they are really tiny the beaks are too. But then again you breed 2 tiny"s together and you end up with all these 'GIANTS'. Anyway I'll keep breeding!