Chat room for non religious poultry keepers! :D

[fluffycrow]

Yeah. Unfortunately, I won't be able to test that theory by giving her a second try at it because she passed away suddenly a few days ago.

I'm so sorry, Pipd . Sudden death is one of the most heartbreaking ways to lose an animal, it gives you no peace of mind

 

[Canadian Wind]

Trying to decide who stays for breeding next year, and who goes to Freezer Camp, so far as my Domestic ducks goes. It's going to be a heck of a lot more difficult with the Muscovy, since I have so many!

I currently have five drakes, and only four ducks. Logic would be to only keep one drake. but what if he doesn't make it through winter?? Also, if I were to keep just one, it would be my daughter's purebred Magpie. Which itself is another problem as one of the ducks is also hers, and also a Magpie.

Another of the drakes is a Magpie/Cayuga mix, but he was raised with Muscovy and prefers them for mating with! He is also kinda sorta my daughter's. BUT, apart from the Magpie duck, he's not related to any of the other ducks.

The three other drakes are mine. I hatched them. One is white, which is not a 'colour' I'm crazy about, but may be the son of the black pied Pekin mix drake I had that disappeared. No idea who the mother is. I don't know how big he'll be, but he's a good size. And I kinda like him, personality wise. But I don't want a flock of white ducks!

The other two drakes were most probably fathered by the blue Peking mix I had and that has since been consumed. Because he was a drakehole. He chased anything with feathers, be it Domestics, Muscovy, or even chickens. Thus, he didn't even make it to Freezer Camp, just straight to the roaster. What can I say, I was craving duck. One of these boys is definitely crossed with the Khaki Campbell which disappeared (I had a lot of losses in the Spring, most of them my females!!!), and the other probably a cross with my Rouen, who, you guessed it, *also* disappeared. The KC cross is smaller, but prettier, imo. Probably would give good egg-laying genes at the cost of size. Did I mention I really like duck? The Rouen cross is big, and his colours are okay? He looks like a blue Mallard, but I don't like the Mallard look. Pros would be bigger offspring, but probably less eggs. I also like duck eggs, they are tasty and don't mess with my digestion the way chicken eggs do.

They are very bonded. For now anyhow. Who knows if this will carry through to the Spring when breeding season kicks in.

I only have two new females, one which was for sure fathered by the aforementioned blue drake, the other one I'm uncertain of. Her markings are very interesting. And an older duck who is probably a Buff.

I'll attach of picture of them, too. They are the two in the back right.

I'm tempted to keep both the blue drakes over the winter, but that means feeding them. And I'm not working so my funds are limited.

Anyhow, sorry for the rant. I know ultimately it's up to me.

 

[RebelFord81]

@Canadian Wind whats the best breed for egg production and friendliness?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wind, you raise chickens too, right?

 

[Canadian Wind]

@Canadian Wind whats the best breed for egg production and friendliness?

So far as production, it's Khaki Campbell. But I've found them to be nervous and flighty and honestly, very drab-looking. As for friendliness, well, there's a reason I hoard Muscovy! But the flavour is not the same as a Domestic (mallard-derived) duck.

 

[fluffycrow]

@Canadian Wind whats the best breed for egg production and friendliness?

Serama. They'll produce the eggs, just not very big. For big eggs, stable production and friendliness, I'd go with brahma. But most bantams are also a good option

 

[Canadian Wind]

Wind, you raise chickens too, right?

I do. But I don't have the attachment to them as I do to the ducks. Except for Fluffy, of course. I love my Fluffy.

 

[fluffycrow]

I thought you meant chickens

 

[Canadian Wind]

I thought you meant chickens

I was talking ducks, and attached pictures of ducks. You need to stop seeing chickens everywhere, lol!

 

[Canadian Wind]

And yes, I'd love to get some Brahma, eventually. They grow so slowly though!