Duck Breed Focus - Silver Appleyard

[tjalred]

Yep, ducks need nest boxes. The difference is that they need to be on the floor and they don't need to be enclosed. Just a square box on the floor with some type of nesting material (I just use hay). Congrats on your ducks!!!

Perfect! Thanks so much MillarMeadows. I let the master builder know he has to build them a box of some sort. We use hay in the chicken coop, so that will be easy enough to do for the ducks. In the fall it all goes out to the garden.

 

[LavenderCrow]

Hello! It's been a while since I posted. I've got a few questions about ducks.

I've never had ducks before, so I don't know much about them. What kind of feed do they need? Can they have regular chicken feed, or do they need a game mix?

Are Silver Appleyards a good laying breed? I intend to use their eggs for baking, so I need nice, rich eggs that ducks provide and I need a good amount.

Do they need a coop to nest and roost in?

We're currently looking at and hoping to buy a house right on a small river. If I were to have ducks on the property and allow them to go to the river, would they stick around?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hello! It's been a while since I posted. I've got a few questions about ducks.

I've never had ducks before, so I don't know much about them. What kind of feed do they need? Can they have regular chicken feed, or do they need a game mix?

Are Silver Appleyards a good laying breed? I intend to use their eggs for baking, so I need nice, rich eggs that ducks provide and I need a good amount. 

Do they need a coop to nest and roost in?


We're currently looking at and hoping to buy a house right on a small river. If I were to have ducks on the property and allow them to go to the river, would they stick around? 

Don't know the answers to all the questions since I don't have ducks yet either but have done some research since I've wanted them forever ha so hopefully this may help.

From what I've heard, chicken food is bad for ducks and duck food is bad for chickens. I think they sell duck specific food online maybe but I've never seen it in person and it's probably more expensive. What I've noticed a lot of people do is buy All Flock (Nutrena) or Flock Raiser (Purina) and just give it to everybody, ducks, chickens, turkey, etc. Makes it easier. You do have to make sure the layers have access to free choice calcium though, such as oyster shell. And obviously true game birds get game feed probably. But for domestic birds it works well.

Not sure about laying ability, maybe someone else can comment.

They do need a coop and nestboxes just like chickens however unlike chickens they prefer/need the coop low to or on the ground. Nestboxes have to be on the ground (or floor level of coop) too. They don't roost, they sleep on the ground/floor. They do still need the coop for shelter though.

I think they probably would stick around but not sure. I wouldn't let them loose immediately. I'd keep them penned up a couple weeks so they learn where their home is then theoretically they should wander or roam but come back every night. I believe they are too heavy to fly away even if they really wanted to. If you had mallards I would worry about them flying away but not so much SA.

Hopefully this helps and hopefully someone with more experience comes along!!

 

[MillarMeadows]

Depending on where you live, will depend on what your feed your duck. Where I am, no one sells a specific duck food. They well POULTRY food. And we feed that to both ducks and chickens. Just be SURE that you always buy unmedicated. Medicated food will kill your ducks very quickly!!!

There is also starter for young poultry, grower for when they are "teenagers" and then on to layer.

Ducks also need more vitamin B than chickens. I feed my ducks brewers yeast sprinkled on their food about 3 or 4 times a week, especially when they are young and growing. Otherwise their legs will not be strong enough. Some people prefer to put liquid vitamin b in their water.

I have 6 silver appleyard hens currently and I get on average 4 eggs a day. They do slow down when molting usually twice a year. They are much more reliable layers than our chickens!!

They do need a house where they can be locked in at night if you wish to have them safe from predators. They also do need nesting boxes and they need to be on the floor. Ducks need approx 10 sq feet per duck.

If you are getting adult ducks, I would keep them inside for a few days or at least penned up until they know this is their home now. If you are getting ducklings and they grow up there, they should stay there. Appleyards are heavy weight ducks and really cannot fly. I hatched mine all out at my farm and I live right on a large river and my ducks stay home. They have never even gone anywhere near the river. They have a huge pen and a kiddie pool pond in it. They also get to roam around our corral and field when we are home and they stay pretty close to home! They are actually kinda scaredy cats!

A good book on ducks is quite hand too. I have Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread. Very good book!

 

[LovemyPekin]

Are the Appleyard and Welsh harlequin the same duck different name ??

 

[ShrekDawg]

Are the Appleyard and Welsh harlequin the same duck different name ??

No I don't think so, pretty sure they are different breeds. Don't know the differences though so could be wrong

 

[MillarMeadows]

Silver Appleyard and Welsh Harlequin are two different ducks. silver Appleyards are heavy weight ducks and WH are medium weight.

 

[smithmal]

WH lay more than SA, but their eggs are smaller. SA have better temperament and are not flighty.

 

[hooktontravel]

I have 3 Silver Appleyard eggs in the incubator. It's day 5 and I just candled them. I can see heartbeats in 2 of the 3 eggs! I'm cautiously optimistic. looking forward to a great big duck or two. I asked the breeder what was best for calm temperament as I have 2 young nephews who will want to spend time with them. She suggested the Appleyards. Everything I've read since has sounded great. I like dual use, winter-hardy (I live in New England)... and calm & friendly. We've got a small swampy 'pond' in the back of the property and hopefully they will be happy there. They can eat mosquito larve and all the slugs & snails they want from the garden! provided they survive to hatch, of course!

 

[hoofpawclawacre]

Can anyone tell me what breeds were bred to create the Silver Appleyard?