Ducks or Chickens? Pros/Cons

[DUCKGIRL89]

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I was wondering the same, most of the people posting in this section are duck people. Hense the reason your getting a very one-sided opinon on which is better

I have both. I've had the chickens longer than the ducks, but now that I've had both I prefer the ducks because of their laying ability. If I had gotten muscovies like I wanted I probably wouldn't be as impressed, but after getting an egg a day from my 2 ducks for the past month and 1 egg a day average from my 16 chickens who are all over 6 months and less than 18 months I am about done with the chickens. I'll be cutting those wayyy back here in the next few weeks, to make room to expand the duck flock. I just wish the ducks weren't so loud and messy, but they make up for it.

See what I mean. This is excatly why I personaly think ducks lay better. Jullie, what kind of chickens do you have?

 

[HollyBird24]

If ducks were better, more efficient layers, they wouldn't have battery farms of chickens. They would have battery farms with ducks.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

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battery farms with ducks wouldnt work... (at leased I dont think so)

 

[HollyBird24]

Quote:
battery farms with ducks wouldnt work... (at leased I dont think so)

They'd work just as well as they would with chickens, but to make production as efficent they would need more space and have to feed them more, plus clean up the mess the ducks make of everything.

 

[JulieNKC]

Quote:
I have both. I've had the chickens longer than the ducks, but now that I've had both I prefer the ducks because of their laying ability. If I had gotten muscovies like I wanted I probably wouldn't be as impressed, but after getting an egg a day from my 2 ducks for the past month and 1 egg a day average from my 16 chickens who are all over 6 months and less than 18 months I am about done with the chickens. I'll be cutting those wayyy back here in the next few weeks, to make room to expand the duck flock. I just wish the ducks weren't so loud and messy, but they make up for it.

See what I mean. This is excatly why I personaly think ducks lay better. Jullie, what kind of chickens do you have?

I have buff orpingtons, silver laced wyandottes, an EE, a white leghorn, a production red, a barred rock, 5 delaware mixes, and silkies and a silkie x. One of the delaware mixes is my only chicken laying at the moment, and she skips every 3rd day or so. I don't expect the silkies to lay eggs, they are for decorative/brooder ability purposes lol. The SLW are my oldest at 18 moths and molting, but everyone else should be laying. They get 70% layer, 15% scratch, and 15% gamebird feed (extra protein for the molters). The days are short but they get a few hours extra light from solar lights in the coop. Lack of light hasn't affected the ducks at all. Everyone was wormed about a month ago, when they stopped laying and again 10 days later with safeguard. They have a huge run and are usually out all day in our 2 acre yard. I don't know what their problem is. Whatever it is isn't affecting the ducks one bit, I got 3 eggs today from the 2 of them. It's a little ridiculous how many eggs 2 little ducks can produce.

edited because I have too many chickens and forgot a few lol

 

[Tivona]

Quote:
I was wondering the same, most of the people posting in this section are duck people. Hense the reason your getting a very one-sided opinon on which is better

I have both. I've had the chickens longer than the ducks, but now that I've had both I prefer the ducks because of their laying ability. If I had gotten muscovies like I wanted I probably wouldn't be as impressed, but after getting an egg a day from my 2 ducks for the past month and 1 egg a day average from my 16 chickens who are all over 6 months and less than 18 months I am about done with the chickens. I'll be cutting those wayyy back here in the next few weeks, to make room to expand the duck flock. I just wish the ducks weren't so loud and messy, but they make up for it.

I also prefer my ducks. I have had both and I was happy enough having chickens and they did lay well for me. But now that I have ducks I found that they lay much more of the winter, their eggs are larger and tastier, and they are happier in my Oregon rainy winter. I should mention that I have the Golden 300 hybrids specifically because I wanted good layers. I also prefer the ducks personalities better then chickens. All the chickens my family as had over the years maintained a very strict pecking order and the bottom bird was always made miserable. Ducks are friendlier birds, once every one knows everyone else and who is tougher then its all good with very few squabbles. Noise wise my ducks are not bad except in the morning when they see me coming to let them out and in the evening when I herd them back. My chickens and rooster talked all day, and I tried herding chickens in years ago and that did not work period.

As far as their intelligence I see no difference between chickens and ducks. It depends on the individual chicken or duck, some are smarter then others. I have had chickens stand under a sprinkler complaining about the "rain". I currently have smart ducks but I did have a couple before that just did not get stuff. The only down side of ducks for me is that they are messier and smellier then chickens.

 

[thndrdancr]

You also have to think about if you might EVER go away for an weekend, its almost impossible to do with ducks as they run out of nomatterhowmuchwateryougivethem before hand, as well as usually food. They are food hogs and just gobble it down it seems. Whereas chickens, you can put several BIG bowls of food and water and usually go away for even possibly two nights with not much worry, minimal loss and still find their water bowls only half gone, but the ducks have to have water EVERY day, they just cant resist playing in it till its filled with silt or totally empty.

I love my ducks and they make me laugh all the time, but they do make it awfully hard to get away if I cant find dependable help to make sure they are fed and watered daily.

 

[grawg]

Quote:
battery farms with ducks wouldnt work... (at leased I dont think so)

They'd work just as well as they would with chickens, but to make production as efficent they would need more space and have to feed them more, plus clean up the mess the ducks make of everything.

You're really using battery hens to make your case for chickens? Really? Come on, Really? Are you being honest or just trolling at this point?

No one here is saying that ducks are easier to house in a battery house. Actually quite the opposite. Ducks tend to take more work than chickens and make a more of a mess. They require more water, being a waterfowl this should be fairly obvious. The ducks can be louder than hens.

Those are some of the Cons of a duck vs a chicken. The pros of a duck vs a chicken are on average better laying, more years being productive, hardier when it come to disease, better suited to wet climates.

Another pro of a chicken is that laying breeds are readily available in most areas from a local source making them cheaper. It can be hard to find proven laying ducks.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
They'd work just as well as they would with chickens, but to make production as efficent they would need more space and have to feed them more, plus clean up the mess the ducks make of everything.

You're really using battery hens to make your case for chickens? Really? Come on, Really? Are you being honest or just trolling at this point?

No one here is saying that ducks are easier to house in a battery house. Actually quite the opposite. Ducks tend to take more work than chickens and make a more of a mess. They require more water, being a waterfowl this should be fairly obvious. The ducks can be louder than hens.

Those are some of the Cons of a duck vs a chicken. The pros of a duck vs a chicken are on average better laying, more years being productive, hardier when it come to disease, better suited to wet climates.

Another pro of a chicken is that laying breeds are readily available in most areas from a local source making them cheaper. It can be hard to find proven laying ducks.

This is why I went with ducks. They live longer therefore producing eggs longer, and then I wont have to be buying new ducks every two years. Ive gotten myself into chickens now, they are noisy and I (personaly) think they are smellier. I dont care about the mess my ducks make, neither does my mom as long as it isnt in her yard (

)

The only reason I have my BBSL orpingtons is because I think they are beautiful! Not for eggs. Thats what I have the ducks for. Im getting some silkies to brood duck eggs for me in spring, and to hatch silkie eggs. Not for eating. Those are the only reasons I would get chickens (and for meat)

 

[HollyBird24]

Quote:
They'd work just as well as they would with chickens, but to make production as efficent they would need more space and have to feed them more, plus clean up the mess the ducks make of everything.

You're really using battery hens to make your case for chickens? Really? Come on, Really? Are you being honest or just trolling at this point?

No one here is saying that ducks are easier to house in a battery house. Actually quite the opposite. Ducks tend to take more work than chickens and make a more of a mess. They require more water, being a waterfowl this should be fairly obvious. The ducks can be louder than hens.

Those are some of the Cons of a duck vs a chicken. The pros of a duck vs a chicken are on average better laying, more years being productive, hardier when it come to disease, better suited to wet climates.

Another pro of a chicken is that laying breeds are readily available in most areas from a local source making them cheaper. It can be hard to find proven laying ducks.

No, I'm saying that battery farms use chickens because they are more efficient, I do get what your saying. And I agree with the pros and cons.

Leghorns lay on average 280 eggs per year, Runners lay on average 175 eggs per year.