Ducks

[ThomasR]

I live in a neighborhood with a home owners associations. I cant get a chicken so i chose a duck. Will they be able to live in my backyard and how much space do they need. Are there any other websites like backyard chicken but for ducks. And are the males loudest or are the females loudest.

Thanks

 

[FrenchHen]

females are definitely louder!
They need the same coop space (4 ft. square) per bird, but I'd give them more run space to incorporate a splash pool for them. Maybe 15 ft square per bird? You'll need to work to keep the stink down and your neighbors happy, but ducks are fun! We love ours.

will you let them out in the yard from time to time?

 

[Taylor]

i'm so glad you have got interested in ducks, i absolutely love a good duck. i have khaki-campbells, they're the quietest breed i've ever had. the females are the loudest w/ a quack noise. the males have a raspy voice. you can keep probaly 2 duck hens w/o any racket whatsoever, usually they're only loud when they have a mate.

 

[FrenchHen]

no one told our Khaki girls to be quiet! they're awesome though. Two eggs a day from two ducks!

 

[duckling 1234]

Is your backyard fenced? If so, all you would need is a coop, and to be sure to herd hem into their house EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! The house probably would only need to be about 4x4x2 for 4-5 ducks, and I wouldn't put food or water in the coop. If you clean and disenfect once a week, the stench shouldn't be a problem. How many ducks do you plan to get? Just a small household flock is what I would reccomend. 1 male and 3 or 4 females.
Good Luck!!!

 

[Willowbrook]

I'm curious...you can have a duck but not a chicken? How does that work? What is the reasoning behind that ruling?

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
That's what I was thinking too. Because a chicken hen is sure a whole lot quieter than my Campbell ducks! They're always making a ruckus!

My Dutch Hookbills are my quietest ducks - they're the calmest, most friendly ducks in my flock too. They've always been very trusting of humans.

 

[TajMaChicken]

Yep the drakes are quieter. The girls can be very loud especially when they want something. I also agree that it is odd that you can have ducks but not chickens. My chicken hens are not really noisy at all. My coop is pretty well disguised so unless you see the chickens you wouldn't know I had them.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
This IS THE PLACE FOR BACKYARD DUCKS! Take a look at that HOA rule and make sure it doesn't include ducks (ducks are Poultry) For you others who wonder, sometimes the rule is no chickens when they really mean no Poultry. HOAs with a water feature sometimes think Ducks on the pond are great. (I have sold many all drake assortments to these places that want pretty ducks on the pond but not nests or ducklings in the commons) Other places allow hens only but no Roosters (cocks) because of cockfighting and cockcrowing to darn early for them) Back to ThomasR, even if they have a loophole that you think allows ducks be advised that loophole can be shut at the next HOA meeting.
female ducks are loudest.
Many people have ducks in the backyard.
The amount of space needed is a subject of debate, myself I don't like ducks jambed in a small space because they will make a muddy,stinking mess of it in a short time.

 

[lovesduckies]

muscovies are quieter than any other breed. they don't quack.. they hiss. the females are very quiet too (that's part of the reason why my duckies live in my bedroom with me) you may need to clip wings because they can fly. muscovies are going to be illegal by the end of the month, but if you want them they can be grandfathered in. unless you're like me and don't care

but in my opinion, muscovies are awesome. each of mine have the cutest personalities. my female thinks she is queen, and my drake was a mommy's boy till mating season came. he still is sometimes. they are like little doggies. i love them!!