Can You Sex Khaki Campbell Ducks As Babies Without Vent Sexing??? Also, What Care Do They need???

[lizardboy55]

I'm going to get 1 Khaki Campbell duckling and would like it to be a girl. I hear they are excellent egg layers! About 350 eggs a year! (one a day) Is that True? Also, what do duck eggs taste like? I would like to scrabble them. Is that OK? Also by sexing them as ducklings i mean by the color of their bodies instead of vent sexing. I don't think Tractor Supply Co. would like me vent sexing them. By The Way, I will get them from Tractor Supply Co.! Also, what type of care do they need? Are they social birds? By that i mean do they need a friend?

Thank You
Matthew

 

[Amiga]

Good questions. At that age, vent sexing is necessary for Khaki Campbells.

They are very good layers - there is some variability in how many a particular duck will lay.

I find duck eggs absolutely delicious no matter how I cook them. A few people are allergic to duck eggs, just as there are a few (and by few, I mean a minority of the population) are allergic to chicken eggs.

They are very, very sociable birds and really need a flock, even if that flock is one or two other ducks.

jdywntr recently posted a good writeup on duckling care. Take a look at this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings

I often suggest people consider adopting adult rescued ducks. That way you know the sex. And a few months after Easter, there may be a number of abandoned ducks on a pond near you. Just a thought.

 

[learycow]

Hello Matthew,
I would suggest getting at least 2. Ducks are very social animals and need to have a buddy. So it's best if you can get at least two. (some TSC only selling in sets of 6 or more so you may have to get at least 6 if you get them through TSC).
And yes, Khaki Campbells are one of the most productive egg laying birds. Mine do lay an egg a day and even out-lay my chickens in the winter
Duck egg taste depends on who you ask. To me, they dont have much flavor at all. I free range mine but they do get fed grain morning and night as well as scratch feed and fruit and veggie scraps daily. What you feed them will affect the egg taste. But I like my duck eggs scrambled with cheese
Unfortunately male and female khaki campbells will look and sound the same until they are about 2 1/2-3 months old. So when you go to pick one out, you won't be able to tell the females from the males just by looking at them. They would need to be vent sexed (which I would not recommend unless you have experience vent sexing as it can hurt or damage the duckling's reproductive tract if done improperly)
As for care, they need a warm, dry shelter (heat lamp while they are babies and don't yet have feathers to help keep them warm). once grown, if you house them outside be sure their shelter/pen is predator proof as ducks are easy targets for foxes, coyotes, etc.
They need proper food (unmedicated chick starter while young, grower, then layer pellets. You may need to supplement oyster shells once they begin to lay eggs but that won't be until they are roughly 5 months old. They can eat scratch feed and fruit and veggie scraps but be sure to do your research as there are some that are not good for them to have.
The also will need fresh water daily. They don't need a pond to swim in, but do need water that is deep enough for them to submerge their whole head in. This is because their nostrils can easily get plugged while they are eating and they need to clean out their nose frequently. They also like to bathe in water as they like to stay clean. So if you can, I would recommend a kiddie pool or small tub for them. But they do like to make a mess of their water so be sure you have time daily to empty and fill water tubs as well as clean them out as it is often more frequent than chickens.

Hope this helps!

 

[Carcajou]

Khakis are wonderful birds, I have six of them and their eggs are great.

 

[lizardboy55]

Thank you everyone!!! The posts helped a lot!

 

[ajcarlson166]

Hello Matthew,
I would suggest getting at least 2. Ducks are very social animals and need to have a buddy. So it's best if you can get at least two. (some TSC only selling in sets of 6 or more so you may have to get at least 6 if you get them through TSC).
And yes, Khaki Campbells are one of the most productive egg laying birds. Mine do lay an egg a day and even out-lay my chickens in the winter
Duck egg taste depends on who you ask. To me, they dont have much flavor at all. I free range mine but they do get fed grain morning and night as well as scratch feed and fruit and veggie scraps daily. What you feed them will affect the egg taste. But I like my duck eggs scrambled with cheese
Unfortunately male and female khaki campbells will look and sound the same until they are about 2 1/2-3 months old. So when you go to pick one out, you won't be able to tell the females from the males just by looking at them. They would need to be vent sexed (which I would not recommend unless you have experience vent sexing as it can hurt or damage the duckling's reproductive tract if done improperly)
As for care, they need a warm, dry shelter (heat lamp while they are babies and don't yet have feathers to help keep them warm). once grown, if you house them outside be sure their shelter/pen is predator proof as ducks are easy targets for foxes, coyotes, etc.
They need proper food (unmedicated chick starter while young, grower, then layer pellets. You may need to supplement oyster shells once they begin to lay eggs but that won't be until they are roughly 5 months old. They can eat scratch feed and fruit and veggie scraps but be sure to do your research as there are some that are not good for them to have.
The also will need fresh water daily. They don't need a pond to swim in, but do need water that is deep enough for them to submerge their whole head in. This is because their nostrils can easily get plugged while they are eating and they need to clean out their nose frequently. They also like to bathe in water as they like to stay clean. So if you can, I would recommend a kiddie pool or small tub for them. But they do like to make a mess of their water so be sure you have time daily to empty and fill water tubs as well as clean them out as it is often more frequent than chickens.

Hope this helps!

Hi, I have been raising khaki's for about 10 years now and have found very early on after hatch, that the boys tend to be the needy ones and make the most noise. Plus have noticed the girls heads seam to be more round than the boys who have more of an egg shaped head. Aside from those two observations I've made raising them there is what I call the swimming contest where I put a bowl of warm water in with them I like to keep them clean and the least stinky as possible when raising them indoors and this should only be done indoors when this young as so you can dry them off quickly and warm em back up to prevent hyperthermic shock and ultimately death to the duckling but the boys will take right to the water and show off where the girls will just casually float paddling fast because they don't know they can naturally float yet. Boys tend to dive to the bottom and bring attention to themselves. Just don't leave them in the water more than a couple minutes before drying them off with a hairdryer which they enjoy. Hope that helps