Do you need a permit to own DOMESTIC ducks in Florida? IDEAL POULTRY SAID I HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT FO

[zooweemama]

I'm so sorry. This sounds very frustrating. Can your parents obtain the permit since you are under 16? I want to 3rd the Pekin- give'em another chance sentiment. I have several breeds (see siggy) and seriously the Pekins are among my favorites. My only regret with them is one I regret about how I handled them as ducklings...my feed store said don't handle them, don't hold them etc etc...I didn't. Now I have to work hard to earn their trust. But they are a hoot to watch play, eat, preen, interact and I was thrilled when I was able to tell the different genders that I got to keep 3 of them out of the 4 we had. I had to re-home 2 of my Cayugas (bummer) but it was made ok that I could keep my fatty sassy Pekins. Good luck Kelly!

 

[Going Quackers]

I too was going suggest your parents look into the permit. I know pekins are well liked, i do understand not wanting all white ducks but perhaps you can get some other breeds later on to add colour.

 

[kellyn]

Haha, well to those of you who think I'm a pekin head-huner, I already have 5 pekins; 1 given to me, one traded, one hatched, one rescued from a nest as a cracked egg and 1 bought. 2 males and 3 females. They're nice ducks, but they're absolutely disgusting in a cage! It's impossible to keep clean. That and they're white, which usually indicates "eat me" to varments.

Pekins are my second favorite duck because:

1) they're great layers

2) don't abuse my chickens

3) the babies are SO CUTE!

But I'm more a muscovy-lover because:

1) I don't have to clean up after them because fo some reason mine don't really fancy water too much.

2) they are the BEST mothers in the world

3) also great layers.

4) babies are cute-er for longer.

5) they're really calm, quiet birds. Unless you anger them. THEN the feathers fly, XD

But the best ducks are Pekin/Muscovy crosses. They posess all of the good quality of both breeds and have less of the funky red bumps on their bills. They are less flighty that the pure ones, but have the vast muscovy "personality".


And about my baby ducks... I received 21 pekin ducklings. 1 died after my mom brought it home, and another looks a bit weak... but the other 19 are fine~

I have SIX(!!!) crested. 2 have just the MASSIVE-est crests~ I'm guessing they're my boys(totally keepers either way). And they're all so NICE!!! I've never first-hand ordered ducks from a hatchery, so none of mine were ever very friendly. These are! Now all I need is a muscovy male that's unrelated(I'll be looking on craigs-list in a few minutes) to "tame" my 4 adult muscovy girls.. and I also have 4 little chocolate muscovies too, bringing my total ducks to... 17 adults plus 24 little ones... 41! My gosh, I hated ducks a few years ago(again, the mess) but I started to like them after I got my first Muscoves. I had pekin and rouen when I was 11 or 12, and I HATED THOSE BIRDS! But no longer, as i built up a tolerance over a while. And, my brother and mom clean the pools too, so I'm not on my own.

And I'll hold off on the permit until I turn 16 in a few months. Or when someone says something (and no one will because I live way out in the country, 15 or so miles from the nearest town).

Unless someone here is gonna snitch on me about it.

P.s. Amiga, thanks SO much for the link to the Florida wildlife conservation page. It was really helpful and I learned of how some people tag their birds(it had a link to Metzer Farms and I read how they tag their mallards by cutingof a back toe [ouch!]).

I'll post pictures of my babies on Tuesday!


Note: longest. Post I've. Ever written to date!!!

 

[zooweemama]

Aww yay!! I think it really matters how you obtain your birds sometimes. I am so glad you are enjoying the new babies. I hope you have good luck finding a dude pal for your Muscovy ladies.

 

[Outlawfarms]

I have a question about this permit thing I have had sevral people tell me that I can't sell , show or own my ducks with out a permit. I have (Crested)rouens, Crested Pekins ,(crested ) Black And Blue swedish, (crested) runner. (crested) Golden Cascades, Cayugas , and campbells. I have ben sellins and showing for almost 2 years. I sell privately , at swaps , fleamarkets and one or two auctions. No one has ever said anything till a freind went to one auction and the would only run her pekins and miscovies through the sale unless she had a permit to sell them. I know with the new law that came out that you have to have a permit for mallards and miscovies but the other ducks ? I raise my ducks for show for my family as well as FFA and 4-Her's. I just makes enough by selling my ducklings and chick to break even

 

[FireTigeris]

Depends on where you are-

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

All of Florida falls under FWC laws for owning and selling ducks. It doesn't matter where in the state you live, everyone has to comply with FWC. Some counties and or cities don't allow ducks at all though. You can read the entire law and what permits are require to just own, or to own and sell ducks of any breed (except Pekin).

http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/waterfowl/mallard-possession-rule/

 

[FireTigeris]

Well I wasn't sure that Outlaw farms was in FL.

I thought Mullards were exempt also...

 

[FireTigeris]

MY feed stores only sells Pekin ducks in order to comply.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Anyone owning ducks, even just as pets also have to get a permit here in FL. The private possession permit is still free from what I last read.