Drake?

[Crazy4Fowl]

As some of you might know I am getting 10 golden 300 hybrid ducklings and selling 8 of them. I will have 2, but recently I found WH(welsh harlequins) I was intrigued by their beautiful colors and had to get one. I added 3 to my golden 300 order. The WH are sexed females and the 2 golden 300 ducklings I'm going to keep are sexed females as well. We will have 5 hens. I posted the 8 goldens on Craigslist stating that I ordered more than I wanted. I posted it before they came (their ship date is mon. Feb 23rd) so people wouldn't order any, this way I would get some Poeple I buy them. Surprisingly I got more people buying them than I expected and told the people I can't assure of any sex because they are coming as mixed gender. I was wondering should I keep one of the drakes and sell the babies each year on Craigslist or would it be a waste of money to feed a drake. I'm only going to have 5 ducks unless I keep a drake or if we sell the chickens, but the ducklings I breed will be sold on Craigslist. I have a small flock so would it be a waste to feed a drake? I want the drake for babies to sell, but I don't know if I would make money on him

 

[Amiga]

My first, simplistic thought is that one cannot have ducklings without a drake, so where would the waste of money be?

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

My first, simplistic thought is that one cannot have ducklings without a drake, so where would the waste of money be?

I'm wondering is it worth feeding another mouth to not get eggs, just get babies, and would I even make money off the babies or would they just mate cover the cost of feeding him.

 

[hennible]

I'd keep a drake. Your duckling sales and your egg sales (being that duck eggs sell for a pretty penny) should probably cover the cost of feeding him... Plus people who are looking for meat aren't going to care what sex the ducklings are.

 

[Amiga]

Hmmm, babies selling for 5 dollars each, eggs selling for . . . I still don't see a waste feeding a drake.

 

[hennible]

It's only what 1/3 of a pound of feed consumption a day. Not much really.

Edit to add that's an average

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

Ok thanks guys, I suppose I want a drake, I will just have to ask my mom if it's ok.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

I have a few questions about eggs. How much could I sell my eggs for? I have chickens now and sell them for 4$ a dozen. They are fresh and organic, we feed them this food and we will be feeding the ducks the same thing. Organic eggs at most the stores run for about 5.69$ We charge 4$ for organic and fresh. If we feed the ducks the same things how much could I get for ducks eggs?

I have a few questions about babies. How many babies do you usually get per hatch? Will I have more babies if I use an incubator, because I was hoping that they could hatch their own babies. I heard the welsh harlequins are great mothers and will broody. Would they broody the golden 300 hybrid eggs?

 

[hennible]

Duck eggs apparently self for an average of $.80 an egg because ducks usually lay less eggs than chickens their eggs earn a bit more. Plus duck eggs are sort of a specialty food.
A broody will probably sit on anything you give her, you probably don't need an incubator but you could get one if you like, with an incubator you can control when your ducks hatch and time it so they hatch when it's best for your needs, but the hatch rates under the ducks will probably be better than in your incubator anyhow.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

Thanks! IF you go here it says "...also have excellent egg production as well as an ability to nurture a nest of ducklings. They Welsh Harlequin is one of the very few breeds of domestic ducks that still have the instinct to sit and hatch out a nest of their own eggs."
So they should hatch their own eggs so I wouldn't need an incubator. But I'm not getting a male Welsh, I was gonna get a male golden, that is what this thread is about, so would I welsh hatch someone else eggs?