Ducklings or duck eggs?!

[DaltonJones4]

Hi, everyone! I just recently hatched 5 ancona ducklings in a homemade incubator (they are the cutest things ever), and I wasn't exactly prepared (as in I didn't have a coop built, or room for a coop, and watering area, completely my fault). So anyways, they're going off to a farm tomorrow in order to be raised properly. Sorry, that was all kind of irrelevant to my question, but I just wanted to share! Anyways, once I'm all prepared, I was going to order ducks from Metzer Farms. I was wondering if any of you have a certain preference on whether to get hatching eggs and just incubate them, or to order live ducklings? I don't mind hatching eggs again, it would just be easier if I got the ducklings and knew their sex immediately. Is it safe for the ducklings to be shipped like that? What do you guys think? Thanks again for reading and answering!!

 

[SouthernPride]

The thought of those babies being shipped really bothers me. I would rather hatch my own. They will bond better with you that way too.

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

I've never had live ducklings shipped. This will be my first time, they are coming on the 29th. I've ordered four female runners because we really need girls to balance our current ratio.

My thought is that it's probably quite stressful on them to be shipped, but people do it all the time. Of course, that's not a good argument, just something to consider. I have ordered them from Metzer Farms, who apparently have a lot of experience in packaging and shipping the babies as safely as possible. The biggest concern is the carrier company. hopefully they treat live shipments MUCH better than regular ones!!!

I'm hoping to make the ducklings extra comfortable once they get here, and undo a lot of that stress so they can just forget about it.

 

[CrazyDuckFarms]

Honestly, the preference is up to you. Really its easier to get ducklings shipped on the fastest shipping option and ship them.
OR if you are really that worried- go pick them up. lol
They have done shipping for YEARS. I haven't had any problems ( Ravenna's post office is awesome that way ) , maybe it depends on where you live too.Have them shipped ( no less than 25 Ducklings ) in the spring when its warm and not cold and they will be just fine.
You can do eggs too. BUT keep in mind the post office does xray them thus decreasing the hatch rate. However, they are getting kraftier on how to combat that. That doesn't mean that they will not get shaken up and josstled around too. THAT is a chance you take and a bigger loss to me than just ordering Ducklings. But they have to have a lot of water and a pen.
When they are shipped to your house, give them a drink of water and put them in.
Mash up a hard broiled egg and give them a probiotic and they will be fine.
Ducklings are much stronger than chickens i feel. But thats me.
I have had all kinds of fowl and had them for 27 years.
So make a pros and cons list and do what you feel is right for you!

 

[DaltonJones4]

Hm, I see. Thank you all for your opinions. I'm worried too that it will be too stressful on them, but I think all I really want is female khaki Campbells because I would have them for laying, so it would be nice to just get females. I may just go with eggs just to be safe.

 

[TLWR]

Millions of ducklings and chicks have been shipped with no problems.

As far as them bonding better if they are hatched vs shipped. My friendlies ducks are ones that were shipped vs the one I have that was hatched and has been with me since.

 

[DaltonJones4]

Hm, interesting. Thanks!!

 

[Richb353]

Welcome,
So far I've had 30+ ducklings shipped from Metzer Farms over the past year without a problem. Ashley is terrific and the company is solid. They usually throw in an extra duckling just in case, but in both my shipments all the ducks arrived active and healthy. With the two day trip from CA to FL, I include the Gro-Gel just in case there is a delay.

I've ordered straight run so far just because I thought it was kind of adventurous to roll the dice and see what sexes I get. That backfired a little cause now I have too many males in my flock. Once my last batch of 21 ducks are full sized, I will order a bunch of female ducklings to even things out. After that, should I feel the need to grow my flock some, I'll just let the ducks do their "thang".

Personally I don't think shipping live babies that big a deal. Like human babies, they are resilient!

 

[DaltonJones4]

Welcome, So far I've had 30+ ducklings shipped from Metzer Farms over the past year without a problem. Ashley is terrific and the company is solid. They usually throw in an extra duckling just in case, but in both my shipments all the ducks arrived active and healthy. With the two day trip from CA to FL, I include the Gro-Gel just in case there is a delay. I've ordered straight run so far just because I thought it was kind of adventurous to roll the dice and see what sexes I get. That backfired a little cause now I have too many males in my flock. Once my last batch of 21 ducks are full sized, I will order a bunch of female ducklings to even things out. After that, should I feel the need to grow my flock some, I'll just let the ducks do their "thang". Personally I don't think shipping live babies that big a deal. Like human babies, they are resilient!

That's very true! I think I'll go with the live babies!

 

[bugflipper]

Many years ago I ordered some ducklings and goslings from cackle hatchery. They arrived very healthy and all of them made it just fine. After that I learned about the now defunct eggbid site and just hatched them. Now I get eggs on ebay as I don't know of any very active bid sites like eggbid used to be. With the few times I've ordered chicks and waterfowl it's always been from the same place and I never lost one so good experiences buying chicks. I's just cheaper to hatch them myself.