Ducks vs chickens

[ForeverFactor]

I'm moving to a new property in Kentucky this week and after doing some research ducks seem pretty amazing. I have had chickens since 2014 and we have loved the eggs but it sounds like for eggs ducks lay even more. The only downsides I have been able to find are not handling confinement well and needing more water. Neither of those will be problems in my case. So my question is are they as good as they sound or am I missing something that has made chickens so much more popular than ducks. I have eyed ducklings for a while since they are so cute but this is the first time I have done any research on their actual utility. What has everyone's experience been?

 

[CluckerFamily]

This is my first year with ducks, they haven’t started laying eggs yet, but they are close.
I still love my chickens! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have both ducks and chickens.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Yes, ducks lay larger eggs for longer amounts of time than chickens do. They're also great for baking.
But, ducks can be quite messy. Their poop makes a mess, they make a mess with food and water, and imo they're a bit noisier than chickens. Though that depends on the breed and individual duck.

Ducks do need some more water since they have to wet their food, clean their nostrils all the way out, and they love to play in it and it helps to cool them down. All you really need is a kiddy pool, though you'll need to dump it out about every day (depending on how many ducks you have).

I absolutely love ducks. It's so fun to watch they play in the water, waddle around, and the way they get food is just so cute. They are great for eggs too, especially Khaki Campbells and Welsh Harlequins.

You could get both ducks and chickens. Though I wouldn't get more than one drake if any at all with hens. They have a penis while roosters don't, which can hurt the hens if the drake were to try to mate them.
And having ducks means having a lot of moisture in the coop, which is one reason why I would not keep them in the same coop together with chickens. Also, since ducks nest on the ground they would get pooped on if the chickens roosting bars were above them.
Though the could still share the same run. Or you could have two separate coops, which would work best if they don't get free ranging time.

 

[Quatie]

I absolutely love ducks despite the added mess. But if you want them for eggs, I would suggest buying some duck eggs and trying them first. I don't like chicken eggs, but like ducks eggs, but not everyone feels that way. However my husband is intolerant to duck eggs. Some people can also be allergic to them. It wouldn't change my opinion on ducks. But that may for you if you find out that you are allergic or intolerant to them.

 

[ForeverFactor]

Good point about trying the eggs first. It would be sad to invest the time and energy and be unable to eat the eggs or dislike them a lot.

 

[KaleIAm]

I've never had chickens. I adore my ducks. They are so much fun. Watching them is so incredibly entertaining that we call it duck TV. They are charming, adorable, and hilarious!

I thought I was prepared for the mess. It is about 20 times worse than I was expecting. The scrubbing algae from pools and buckets and hauling poopy bedding never ceases.

Plus, mine are friendly. Which is great. Except that they shout quack at me from the barn all day because they are very needy and want to go for walks.