Ducks or Chicks or BOTH :)

[mommto3kiddos]

My husband and I are trying to decide between getting Chicks or Ducks for our backyard. We are wanting them mainly for garden pest control and hoping they will run off or detour our bad rabbit population..lol

Ive heard ducks are very "poopy", more so than chickens. My son and I are really leaning torward Ducks, but would love to get opinions on those who have back yard ducks

Thanks
Suzie

PS - here are some babies we saw today a TSC (I wanted them all)..lol

 

[mrslb333]

Both

I love ducks but yes they are poopy although it is water soluble so washes away easily they will eat your plants too and turn once nice patches into mud baths all that said they have so much personality it makes up for it all

 

[Wifezilla]

Both! Sure ducks are little poop machines, but that poop is garden gold.

 

[MissusDee]

Ducks poop a lot but it rocks!! It's mostly water. Sounds like you want them more for pets, and ducks are good at that, and will follow you around and interact well with people if you imprint on them more so than chickens. Though I have met some pretty bossy chickens, and friendly ones. Ducks lay eggs that can be used for just about anything too, and make nice cakes. I wouldn't use them for sunnyside up or over easy, but ok scrambled. If you don't have a pond or a creek or something a kiddie pool works. They can be noisy though if that is a problem, but then so can a rooster.

 

[mominoz]

I used to have chickens long ago, I thought they were neat. Ducks have won my heart. I think chickens are nastier to each other, chicken picking, smellier... more health problems and diseases....
Ducks just are more fun, they love bugs, they love puddles, they love lettuce and tomatoes, you can just make them happy with a pan of water and it shows!

The water is messy to some, but great for plants or your grass..... But you can make their night pen covered in gravel or sand and just hose it,whereas chickens usually need shavings or straw and they also need warmth in winter, ducks don't need any heat in winter....ducks don't require complicated coops.
If you are a child at heart, ducks are for you----

 

[scooterward]

I think you've already got your answer since you posted this on the duck section and not the chicken section and you included a pic of adorable ducklings from the store.

With that being said, I have both ducks (2 female Cayuga) and 8 mixed flock of chickens (7 female, 1 male). I love them all (except Wyatt who has tested my nerves a couple of times) and they are my babies. I get such joy and contentment and peace from them. They all have names, I scrapbook them and I spoil them alot.

Both chickens and ducks have their pros and cons and you have to decide which will be best for YOUR situation. All the chicken people will tell you "chickens!" and all the duck people will tell you "ducks!". I would take their opinions/comments but I would have the opinions/comments of people who own both at the same time weigh more heavily.

And remember, whatever you choose, that's the right choice.

Good luck!

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I think you need to find what you are looking for in poultry. I am liking both my chickens and my ducks but for different reasons- or maybe they are the same.... They make me happy

I get eggs, that I get to eat

And my kids are learning about the cycle of life.


As a whole duck are messier than the chickens. Mostly with the water but they are really fun to watch in a puddle or swimming water. My kids and I LOVE to throw down scratch for the birds and the chickens will be at our feet with this while the ducks will hold back.

I am getting 4-8 eggs a day from the ducks (13 girls) and 14-18 eggs from the hens (22 hens). I would think of the size of eggs you are hoping to get as I LOVE the size the Pekin's give me and wish my SLW gave me a bit more size to their eggs. (they are small to med sized)

 

[Duck Mad]

I have chickens and ducks.. I find cleaning wise they are on the same level.. mu chickens poop just as much as the ducks..
My opinion on chickens.. my hens spend most of their time sctatching around looking for bits of food, and sunbathing if the sun appears, they like to just mind their own buisness which is lovely and relaxing to watch them..
Ducks are more likely to want play etc which is amusing, they are like kids mischeif!
The one thing I dont like about chickens, is they can be real nasty to each other introducing new ones.. whereas ducks welcome new ducks ..

but personally for experience wise, I would say have a couple of each, Muscovys are kept on farms to keep the level of insects down etc, I can say if my muscovy sees insects they are doomed with her about lol ...

Maybe u should go to local farm with adult ducks and chickens, that will for sure make your mind up what you really want

 

[DuckyGurl]

I would go ducks. SO MUCH FUN! They are messy, but extremely worth it. Besides, who can resist their faces! Hee-hee! Good LucK!

 

[Duck Mad]

Quote:
lol their lill faces are just tooooo cute, and the more you look at them and own them, the more cuter they get! .... I seriously have a jealous problem!, Like I've got four ducks, but then i see people with loads of cute ducks, and I want them lol ... as my garden is full with pets, I cant really take more on.... BUT I've told my husband the spare storage shed looks horrible in the garden!, if i convince him, that it needs to be smashed up and took to the skip.. he doesnt realise I want to replace it with a new duck house lol if i tell him i want to replace he will just leave it there lmao