Considering adding ducks to my menagerie.

[itsasmallfarm]

I'm sure part of the reluctance of eggs is more about not using the eggs we get already rather then prejudice against duck eggs. I give away 3-5 dozen eggs a week (16-17 chickens long story). However I love baking and duck eggs sound like they would take my cookies to a whole new level of fluffyness. Currently I use 3 chicken eggs when it calls for 2.

Now what to get...

No one told me chicken math could lead to ducks. These birds should come with a warning label!

same where, we planned on only raising meat chickens, then decided to get a few layers (6 at the time) then ordered 30 layers (it was cheaper to get so many) had too many sold half of them, then we got some pet chickens then i decided i wanted ducks and geese. i have to fight my self every day not to get turkeys lol.

but on topic we only had 6 duck eggs (got them from a friend to try before we got ducks) and to be honest the omelets we made (2) where really good tasted like a chicken egg but at the same time it was not a chicken egg flavor (really weird to say but true) then we used the others for baking and i would say (we used half chicken half duck eggs) they where softer (we made a loaf of bread). but there great to be honest can't wait for mine to start laying duck eggs.

 

[kesrchicky16]

I'm considering letting my $%#*@& broody chickens have pheasant eggs if the neighbor farmer disturbs any nests when cutting hay. I've been fighting 2 buff Orpington and 1 RIR for months. They peck at each other so they can sit on the #&$* invisible eggs.

I will raise the pheasants as naturally as possible. If they run away they are mother nature's problem, if they stay then my fil gets an easy dinner this fall. I just hope it will break this broody insanity.

My other temptation is peafoul. I have some construction to do before I can venture into that though.

 

[kesrchicky16]

Ok so I have a new question. My biggest priority with the ducks will be bug control but they might as well earn their keep too. Ducks can live 15 years, how long do they lay?

Chickens can live 10 - 15 years but only lay for an average of 3-4. Are ducks similar? I might have found 7, 9 week old Pekins that someone keeps rescuing abandoned ducklings and needs these gone. We'll see if they still have them when I can go pick them up.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I'm not sure where your getting your info from.Chickens can lay till the day they die,which could be 10,11 or even 12,they just slow down very slow,and you readily gets eggs some stop completely.Ducks I have have been laying up until about 5 years,but I think begin laying more often in spring time,since that is brooding time,similar to geese,which are more likely to live longer then any ducks or chickens on any farms,or anywhere.Yes,they may be able to make it that farm,but don't be inspecting it,that seems to be the norm for house ducks and chickens,and they must be kept with like a super,super good clean environment. Most probably live 8 or 9 years,not trying to kill the excitement just do not want you to expect to have your ducks around for as long as you were told,and I am also not saying you will not have super super clean great environment,it is hard,ducks are gross.They can get a a spoon full of water and turn i into a disgusting,mud whole/puddle,guess that is like the sane give em a inch and take it to a mile.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

with a bit of research it seems some ducks lay until there 7 or 8 years old, keep in mine my duck book says there in there prime for 2-3 years (yet it only says chickens are in there prime from 1-2 years so i don't really know)

 

[dekel18042]

I have both chickens and ducks and they eat the same food and share the same pens (but also free range) so no problems there. The chickens love to scratch and peck while the ducks will "bulldoze" anything they can with their bills, and they love to make their water muddy even if they have to import mud to do it. Translated: Ducks are a lot messier. They love to make mud and play in it.
BTW, if you get pekins and certain other breeds they aren't known for their broodiness. If you want ducklings you will have to either incubator hatch or give them to a more broody breed. We used to use muscovies to hatch pekin eggs as the pekins would sit for a week or two and then one day decide that was it. She would leave the nest never to return.

 

[kesrchicky16]

with a bit of research it seems some ducks lay until there 7 or 8 years old, keep in mine my duck book says there in there prime for 2-3 years (yet it only says chickens are in there prime from 1-2 years so i don't really know)

Thanks

I'm not sure where your getting your info from.Chickens can lay till the day they die,which could be 10,11 or even 12,they just slow down very slow,and you readily gets eggs some stop completely.Ducks I have have been laying up until about 5 years,but I think begin laying more often in spring time,since that is brooding time,similar to geese,which are more likely to live longer then any ducks or chickens on any farms,or anywhere.Yes,they may be able to make it that farm,but don't be inspecting it,that seems to be the norm for house ducks and chickens,and they must be kept with like a super,super good clean environment. Most probably live 8 or 9 years,not trying to kill the excitement just do not want you to expect to have your ducks around for as long as you were told,and I am also not saying you will not have super super clean great environment,it is hard,ducks are gross.They can get a a spoon full of water and turn i into a disgusting,mud whole/puddle,guess that is like the sane give em a inch and take it to a mile.

No worries about buzzkilling. I am a realist. When they stop laying they go to my in-laws freezer and I get new. I also know older animals aren't yummy. I dont want to be committed to one breed that long.

 

[kesrchicky16]

Ok so I have ducks!

2 pekin, 2 mallards?, 1 runner duck, and 1 runner hybrid?

1 mallard is for sure a drake (he is getting a green head)

The people we got them from said that only females quack and boys only squeak. Is that true? I have heard both the pekin quack and the small brown (Not mallard) has quacked too. The mallard is dropping eggs as she is over a year so she has to be a she (hen?) The piebald runner duck is still squeaking but they said he is only 8 weeks so he just might not have a mature voice.

By what age do I need to separate drakes if I dont want them to mate?

Also they are picking up the rocks from their "this is your new home learn how to get along with those chickens" pen. Do they need grit? Will they choke on a rock? They were spotting them out.