Da' Cute and Cuddly Call Duck thread!

[Julie Birb]

Nah, they don't do show quality ducks. Just good meat and potatoes ducks

It is just like everything else:

Cheap (relatively)
Pedigree
Easy (relatively)

Pick any two. Metzer is Cheap and Easy. They aren't Pedigree.
Hatch your own is Cheap and Pedigree. It isn't Easy.
Get your perfect little call already sexed. Pedigree and Easy but it ain't going to be Cheap.

Heehee, so well put gentila!!

 

[Julie Birb]

yes, rabbits keep their genitalia hidden when young. Males, once adults, will have extra, ahem, parts hanging

Thanks. I never knew that. I suppose for obvious reasons they descend as adults so that they can be prolific breeders. I am really learning lots on here

 

[Julie Birb]

Yes, rabbits all look the same when young. The skin needs to be pulled back to expose the genitalia. Waterfowl are the same. If you wish to try vent sexing, my suggestion would be to try on a large breed duck (pekin, rouen, buff, etc.) at about 7-10 days old. Everything should pop out easily at this age & give a good showing of what to look for on the smaller babies. I learned by watching a breeder do it at a swap. It's not hard once you know how & wait for the baby to be big enough to easily manipulate without hurting it.
I can sex with 95-100% accuracy. There's always a chance a squirmy male will slip thru without revealing himself, but it doesn't happen often.

SilkieSensation, you are amazing with all your animal handling and knowledge. Thanks for enlightening me.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Yes, rabbits all look the same when young. The skin needs to be pulled back to expose the genitalia. Waterfowl are the same. If you wish to try vent sexing, my suggestion would be to try on a large breed duck (pekin, rouen, buff, etc.) at about 7-10 days old. Everything should pop out easily at this age

SilkieSensation, you are amazing with all your animal handling and knowledge.  Thanks for enlightening me.

I've just been around animals my entire life. Wanted to be a vet when I was a kid. I guess running a mini-farm was a good substitute.

 

[Kaessa]

Good to know it's a great hatchery. The guy is amazing just watching him handle all the ducklings. I was envious he got to touch all the little fuzzlets. Not regarding the venting but during the sexing illustrating their coloring difference. Little boxes of peepers. But I felt bad when he shut the lid on all the babies for shipping. Are they ok for the meantime and do they get to their destination quickly?

Mine were shipped on a Monday (I believe they hatch Sunday and they ship Monday, but I could be wrong on the hatch date), and they arrived on Thursday. I had them pack gro-gel in with the babies just in case there was a delay. They're ok for about 72 hours after hatching without food, but BOY are they hungry when they show up. My post office was really awesome and called me at 4am (I requested that they call me as SOON as they showed up) so I could go down and pick them up. Nobody was any worse for the wear, they were all really healthy and happy and peeping.

I have a video that shows the "unboxing", and I'll post it as soon as I figure out how to blur out my address and phone number from the lid!

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Mine were shipped on a Monday (I believe they hatch Sunday and they ship Monday, but I could be wrong on the hatch date), and they arrived on Thursday. I had them pack gro-gel in with the babies just in case there was a delay. They're ok for about 72 hours after hatching without food, but BOY are they hungry when they show up. My post office was really awesome and called me at 4am (I requested that they call me as SOON as they showed up) so I could go down and pick them up. Nobody was any worse for the wear, they were all really healthy and happy and peeping.

I have a video that shows the "unboxing", and I'll post it as soon as I figure out how to blur out my address and phone number from the lid!

It seems this has become "normal" now. Before the post office changed its distribution radically 2 years ago, Wednesday delivery was normal for live birds. Last year 2 of my 3 shipments arrived Thursday. Gro-gel used to be a reasonable insurance policy in case their was a delay. If Thursday is now "normal" and Friday is a slight snag, I would say gro-gel is a must! (I did get it with all of mine and they all arrived in tip top shape.)

It might be easier to trim the first "closed box" portion of the video off and start with your info not showing depending on what software you have to work with.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Have no idea how true it is:
(6) Summary of comments from waterfowl judges that have visited our farm.

Breed APA Class Foraging Ability Conservation
Status (5) Our Show Quality (6) Flying Ability Origin
Black Swedish Medium Good Watch Average None Germany
Black Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Blue Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Blue Swedish Medium Good Watch Average None Germany
Buff Medium Good Threatened Average None England
Cayuga Medium Good Threatened Excellent Color, Good Type None USA
Chocolate Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Fawn and White Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Jumbo Pekin Heavy Fair Abundant Good for Meat Classes None China
Golden 300 Hybrid Layer N/A Good No Rank Not Shown None Metzer Farms
Grimaud Hybrid Pekin Heavy Fair No Rank Meat Class Only None France
Khaki Campbell Light Very Good Watch Fairly Good Type Maybe England
Mallard Bantam Very Good Abundant Too "Chunky" Very Good Native to North America
Pekin Heavy Fair Abundant Meat Class Only None China
Rouen Heavy Good Watch Not For Exhibition Maybe France
Welsh Harlequin Light Good Critical Above Average None Wales
White Crested Medium Fair No Rank Excellent Breeders None Holland
White Layer N/A Good No Rank Not For Exhibition None Metzer Farms
​

The above is from this link:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

-Kathy

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Have no idea how true it is:
(6) Summary of comments from waterfowl judges that have visited our farm.

Breed APA Class Foraging Ability Conservation
Status (5) Our Show Quality (6) Flying Ability Origin
Black Swedish Medium Good Watch Average None Germany
Black Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Blue Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Blue Swedish Medium Good Watch Average None Germany
Buff Medium Good Threatened Average None England
Cayuga Medium Good Threatened Excellent Color, Good Type None USA
Chocolate Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Fawn and White Runner Light Very Good Recovering Average None Indonesia
Jumbo Pekin Heavy Fair Abundant Good for Meat Classes None China
Golden 300 Hybrid Layer N/A Good No Rank Not Shown None Metzer Farms
Grimaud Hybrid Pekin Heavy Fair No Rank Meat Class Only None France
Khaki Campbell Light Very Good Watch Fairly Good Type Maybe England
Mallard Bantam Very Good Abundant Too "Chunky" Very Good Native to North America
Pekin Heavy Fair Abundant Meat Class Only None China
Rouen Heavy Good Watch Not For Exhibition Maybe France
Welsh Harlequin Light Good Critical Above Average None Wales
White Crested Medium Fair No Rank Excellent Breeders None Holland
White Layer N/A Good No Rank Not For Exhibition None Metzer Farms
​

The above is from this link:
http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm

-Kathy

Exactly. I don't think anyone wishing to show ducks would seek "average." Metzer's ducks aren't bad - they are quite good. They are what I chose and I am a big Metzer fan. But I don't show ducks. I think they are great for farmers and backyard flocks. I think Metzer focuses on healthy gene-pool which means minor deviation from "standard" not on "perfection of standard" which often weakens genes. All 4 of my runners are stocky and emotionally mellow. Great for me, I love them, but they wouldn't win a ribbon. And I would say my WH is fantastic compared to many pictures I have seen (which agrees with the Above Average - she might win a ribbon on a good day). My Black Swedish has actually got better color than my Cayuga (but she's pretty too - but I doubt ribbon worthy). And these are comments from judges that visited the farm not actual show results. I in no way meant to insult Metzer's offerings.



Here is a picture of Entie. A Faun & White Runner. She is actually the most runner-like runner in my flock (I have 4).

Here are the Major defects according to the Indian Runner Duck Standard that I can find (I am sure a judge could find more). (She does not have any disqualifications).

*Domed Head
*Dished Bill
*Thick or Short Neck
*Hollow back—angular displacement of the neck to the body, which should be 180 degrees when the bird is standing at attention.
*Turned up Tail

Here is a picture of the standard: Entie couldn't stand that straight if she swallowed a pencil.



Now with all that aside, I think Entie is beautiful and she is a great duck and I wouldn't trade her for a whole flock of pedigree runners. None of those "defects" will adversely affect her health, in fact some might make her healthier (as they are more "normal" duck). But she will never have a paper that says she is Quackilda from Quacksbarren. (Sorry, I did spend some time in the cat show world when I was younger).

 

[casportpony]

I don't show poultry, but I do show horses, so I agree, "average" is probably not good enough, lol.

I'm not knocking Metzer, 'cause for those that want pets or meat ducks, I think it's a good option.

-Kathy

 

[Tevyes Dad]

I don't show poultry, but I do show horses, so I agree, "average" is probably not good enough, lol.

I'm not knocking Metzer, 'cause for those that want pets or meat ducks, I think it's a good option.

-Kathy

And don't forget egg ducks... My duckies give me a mess'o'eggs

Wow! you show horses... That has to be crazy at the ribbon level - nope, disqualified, ear pointed the wrong way when I clapped my hands... LOL.