Ducks or Chickens? Pros/Cons

[jaycee]

Quote:
Khaki Campbells lay on average over 300 eggs per year and the record laying bird of any breed, any species, was a Campbell duck who laid OVER 365 eggs in a year.

 

[HollyBird24]

Quote:
Khaki Campbells lay on average over 300 eggs per year and the record laying bird of any breed, any species, was a Campbell duck who laid OVER 365 eggs in a year.

I've never raised Campbells so I can't speak for their laying ability besides what I read, and I don't often go by that. It varies too much on the bird, the strain, the conditions... that sorta thing.

 

[jaycee]

Quote:
Khaki Campbells lay on average over 300 eggs per year and the record laying bird of any breed, any species, was a Campbell duck who laid OVER 365 eggs in a year.

I've never raised Campbells so I can't speak for their laying ability besides what I read, and I don't often go by that. It varies too much on the bird, the strain, the conditions... that sorta thing.

So I suppose the stats you just threw out on Leghorns and Runners in an attempt to support your argument that chickens are "more efficient layers" were not based on anything you read, but rather compiled from records you kept on your own birds?

 

[HollyBird24]

Quote:
I've never raised Campbells so I can't speak for their laying ability besides what I read, and I don't often go by that. It varies too much on the bird, the strain, the conditions... that sorta thing.

So I suppose the stats you just threw out on Leghorns and Runners in an attempt to support your argument that chickens are "more efficient layers" were not based on anything you read, but rather compiled from records you kept on your own birds?

I was just throwing them out there, that doesn't mean I expect my leghorn hens to lay 180 eggs per year, or my runners to lay 175 eggs per year. Nor would I expect a Campbell to lay 300 eggs per year.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Egg ranchers use chickens for two reasons. Hens will live in battery cages and ducks don't do as well in that close confinement. The general public wants hen eggs. Lots of people will refuse to eat duck eggs. There is little point in spending more for housing and care to get a product the public doesn't want. It doesn't have anything to do with who lays the most eggs.

My chart says Runners lay between 150-300 eggs a year. So it is going to depend upon which strain you own. Which also applies to chickens; some lines are heavy layers, some are less so.

Campbells: 250-340 per year

Welsh Harlequins: 240-330 per year

Magpie: 220-290 per year

Appleyard: 200-270 per year

With all poultry, the level of care and the quality of feed will affect how many eggs the birds lay. That applies to chickens as well as ducks.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Quote:
Hopefully we haven't scared you away, Yotricia!

If I was getting started with limited space, I would go with bantam chickens. As you've probably read, bantams can be special fancy birds like Silkies, Modern Games, and Japanese; or can be smaller versions of standard dual-purpose chickens like Buff Orpingtons, Barred Plymouth Rocks, and Rhode Island Reds. My first poultry were bantam Brahmas from Ideal, and the only drawback I found was the small egg size. (They taste the same, but my farmers market customers generally prefer large eggs.) Thirteen bantams did very well in a 4' x 8' coop with attached 6' x 30' run. I probably could have gone with 16-20 birds, even.

I love my ducks, but wouldn't want to confine them for the reasons previously mentioned. I actually dread maintaining a duck brooder with "yucklings"!

Final thought: My chickens nearly always lay in the same spot every day, but my ducks frequently change locations, and are talented nest hiders. I won't sell "questionable" eggs, so while the Campbells probably do lay better than the Australorp chickens, I don't get the same benefit.

Good luck!

Bryan

 

[yotricia02]

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 posted on the duck forum because I can get tons of info about chickens but not as much about ducks. I have come to the decision that I am gonna start with Chickens and then when I get half of my acre fenced I can go with a few daytime free range ducks. I wanted to thank everyone on here for all the info and I have loved the Red Sox/Yankees contridiction because its really exciting to see that so many of you are passionate about which breed you love!!!​

 

[yotricia02]

Reasons are I don't want my ducks to be too confined in a pen if they are not content. I want to get an egg layer breed that is also ok to handle and be around kids (no pecking!) So, sort of, half layer, half pet. I have a 9 year old, 5 year old, and baby on the way so i'm not sure if I could keep up with the messier ducks right now so i'm gonna try chickens first and ducks later.

 

[littlethorn]

I kept muscovy ducks for many years before I had chickens and I would say the big downside to ducks is the MESS. The ducks produced alot more waste that was tougher to clean up and turned everything into a mud pit. As someone else suggested, if you have limited space I would go with bantam chickens.

 

[MiMis_Place]

I have Indian Runners, Buff Orphingtons, Production Reds, Black Austrolops, Silkies, Showgirls, Seramas, BB Reds, and some mixed breed chickens.

If I could only have one breed it would be the Indian Runners. They are messy but they are also excellent layers.

I house my Runners and big chickens together. I have nest boxes on the ground for the runners, and nest boxes on the walls for the chickens, along with a perch for the chickens. This works well since runners once they start laying good lay their eggs at night.

I let them out during the day to roam freely (and they've never went more than half a city block from the barn), and have 3 kiddie pools in different places. I change their water every two days on a rotating basis. They lay (the ducks) better than any of my chickens. Their eggs are very tasty (about the same as a chickens in flavor only creamier). They are good for baking cakes, breads, ect... making them moister, and fluffier. Like someone else said if you have allergies to chicken eggs you can eat duck eggs. I can't say what other breeds of duck eggs taste like only the runners. I've heard that some are not that good.

People who snarl their noses at trying duck eggs... I usually give them a few to try. It changes their mind more often than not. Most people only know chicken eggs.

As far as the BIG chicken farms, those poor chickens live in tiny cages are fed hormones and no telling what else to make them lay better! Give me fresh eggs wether chicken or duck over store bought anytime. At least you know what they've been eating.

I've never ate any of my ducks but they are supposed to be top of the line for flavor in the duck world.

I use a whip with plastic tied on the end to herd them when they don't want to go to bed. But, usually I can holler go to bed girls and they single file head to bed. My husband gets the biggest kick out of this!

They are funnier to watch and they do hold conversations. For the most part they aren't that noisy unless disturbed.

I guess in the end, it's a matter of preference on which breeds chickens or ducks a person likes.