Ducks...

[SamG347]

Well it is almost spring and TSC will be getting chicks. I know Im getting 6-8 layer chicks to add to my 12 hens I have now but I was thinking of MAYBE getting 2 ducklings. I have been around plenty of ducklings but never owned any myself. I personally think it would be really fun! But I was wondering if you duck owners could tell me what it is like having ducks. I would probably like the 2 ducks to live in my 10 x 8 coop with the chickens. I have a big run for my birds and half of it is always planted. One thing I need to keep in mind is a duck that isnt constanly quacking...and LOUDLY. My one neighbor didnt like my roosters constant crowing in the early morning but I dont think if the duck quacks once or twice it would bother him.
My feedstore gets in these breeds

White Pekin
Blue Swedish
Khaki Campbell
Mallard

Once again I dont think Im going to get any ducklings but would like to learn about them incase I decide to try raising some of these little guys.
Thanks yall

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Please give me info as well. I really want cayuga ducks this year

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

We have 8 now. My DH just brought home four today. We have 2 white peking,3Khaki Campbells,
3 Magpies. All of these are female as I will not have a male. We get more eggs from the ducks than chickens They did not stop laying all winter. They are alittle noisy when its time to feed but quiet down as soon as they are fed. we raised the pekings from ducklings and rescued the Khaki Campbells as adults. They are friendly and my grandchildren can handle them. They are alittle messy but not as much as the geese. Hope this helps micki

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

You are going to want to keep in mind, that if you get ducks, they're going to NEED some source of water that they can bathe in. I have indian runners, a cayuga, muscovies, a rouen, a swedish, 3 unknown species, 1 call, and 1 black east indie. The call and east indie are the loudest. The muscovy drake make a hiss-like sound, and the muscovy hens make a kind of cooey sound. The other ducks have a low quack. They arent loud.
I also have mandarin ducks and they make a cooey sound also.
I've had white pekins before, they are not loud either.

 

[greyfields]

I can't imagine not having ducks!!

They will be messier, meaning you'll have to clean bedding a little more often. Also, they obviously can't jump up into a nest box to lay eggs, so you'll have to provide a lower spot for them. My neighbor keeps his with his hens, too, and they sleep under the roosts and get crapped on! He needs to fix that.

Khaki Campbells are the best layers. Silver Appleyards, Saxonys and Welsh Harlequins are gorgeous. Pekin and Ayelsbury are great white breeds.

Also, it's really pointless having ducks and just keeping them in teh run. Let them out during the day to eat your slugs, snails and insects. You'll be able to train them to "go to bed" in the run at night.

 

[SamG347]

Okay thanks everyone! Out of those 4 breeds I was thinking khaki campbell would probably be what Im looking for...a smaller duck that lays lots of eggs! And is there a way to SEX day old khaki campbells? Im pretty sure I have heard there is a way of sight sexing them.
Thanks!