Do Indian Runners and Cayugas make good backyard pets?

[nettie]

http://www.geocities.com/petduckassociation/breeds.html#runner

Look up the runner here.... it says pretty much what i said.

My brown runner isn't as loud but can get loud.

 

[Wifezilla]

I figure as loud as my neighbor's stupid dogs are, they should not complain one bit about my future ducks.

 

[rebecca10782]

Quote:
EXACTLY

 

[eggchel]

My Runners are excellent layers and they are pretty talkative. The males are very quiet and the females are a bit loud when they get excited. If you want really quiet ducks then get Muscovy. Mine were very quiet and were decent layers. Muscovy are also very good at hatching babies.



Chel

 

[mrandmrschicken]

We raised two sets of ducks in an urban setting, right along with chicks. The pekins and the runners we found to be very aloof, nervous, standoffish and simply not as friendly as chickens. All were day olds when we got them. They are also messy! They require much more cleanup than a chicken and are louder. We handled them as much as the chickens when they were little but, they just never got very friendly and always acted afraid.

 

[columbiacritter]

My Cayugas are LOUD, especially when they are upset about something. The Khakis are talkers, complainers, but usually not as strident as the Cayugas. My neighbors say they hear my ducks more often than my 3 roosters.

 

[nettie]

I would check to see if having ducks is legal in your area. I'm originally from the chicago suburbs, where it is illegal to have ducks, but moved to montgomery after we got them where it is legal. If it's illegal, i'd go with a quieter breed, otherwise your neighbors could call the cops on you and have your duckies taken away.

Be forwarned that runners can be very skittish. scare of everything... they are one of the most skittish of breeds. if you want to be close to your ducks (like they want to come by you and eat from your hands) you have to handle them alot, and maybe consider keeping them in the house often... mine are in often... they have a indoor coop and an outdoor coop, and a small living area pen by my patio that has tons of toys and pillows in it. we spend a lot of time being very close to them (picking them up and hugging them) and they are still very flighty...

 

[snowydiamonds]

Cayugamommy, mine are young and were raised w/4 smaller ducks who loved flying and they have been, still are raised/living in chain link fenced areas so don't fly far but love to hover like a humming bird or fly about 8 feet to the gate when I come to them or fly the other direction to their coop when they don't want to walk on snow Two of mine are white and black like Magpies(?) and one of those is crested so I really only have 3 Cayugas. Here's a pic of them, they're good sized and very friendly:

 

[vfem]

All females are loud... some breeds more so then others.

 

[cbohn80]

i was told pekins are the loudest. mine are almost silent, just a soft quack when its time to eat. my cayugas are the loudest. i was told they're a quiet breed. my runners only get loud if a turkey vulture flies overhead or when i first let them out in the morning. the runners are by far my favorites all around though.