first duck--which breed?

[lisamarie]

hi all,

i am trying to decide between getting muscovies or khaki cambells. i am really interested in getting eggs, but i want to find out more about temperment, too. i have kids and would love friendly, calmer ducks, plus we are in a neighborhood so i need to consider which ones would be quieter and stay closer to home--we do have about 3 acres, though. what are the cambells like? the muscovies sound wonderful but they don't lay as many eggs!

thanks,
lisa

 

[ChickenToes]

Look into Welsh Harlequins. Mine are large, quiet, and lay plenty of eggs.

 

[Wifezilla]

Another vote for Welsh Harlequins. They really like people

and they do not have razor claws of death like muscovies.

 

[lovesduckies]

i vote muscovy

i have 2 beautiful muscovies and they are lover duckies! my girl loves to sit on my lap and watch tv and my drake loves to just sit by me and lay his head on my bed <3 they are inside duckies. yessss they have sharp claws, but they aren't too bad. you can always file them down if they are a problem. yesterday i was holding my duck and i was going to let her fly around downstairs and she ended up climbing onto my shoulder then on to my back lol. i was not cut at all. you will be fine if you wear a sweat when handing them. i never hold my drake cuz he tries to fly out of my hands lol.

muscovies are fun and cute. i'd go for them!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Muscovy...I have 2 girls and they are quiet, sweet, and calm.

 

[lisamarie]

ah, so hard to decide! i have this problem w/ chickens, too. maybe i should get one each of a few breeds. i was trying to limit myself to 5 ducks. hmmm....
lisa

 

[Morri]

I have khaki campbells they are very sweet, altho mine are abit skittish because we bourght them at an auction so they werent raised from babies. They have never attacked or even hissed, altho my drake did have a bike fettish and would do anything to chase you on the bike. They are egglaying machines with an egg per day each, they are great mothers and sitter altho sometimes forget to go back to the nest

another thing is because they are fairly small they are cheap to feed and are fairly clean for a duck!

i love them very much... mine are named Delilah, Daphne, Dennis and their is a fertile egg on the way..... if its a boy it will be called D'artagnan or for a girl Daffodil

Goodluck and i hope you are happy with whatever you choose.....

 

[Wifezilla]

Khakis are not known to brood. They CAN, but it is rare. Welsh Harlequins are a khaki derived breed that DO brood. Keep that in mind. The WH are also a bit larger and more mellow than khakis.

 

[lisamarie]

love all of this great info! thanks so much. i can tell i am going to like ducks!
lisa

 

[spamee34]

I bought two buff orp's and one khaki cambell at the feed store . They were already a week old and they are now four weeks old and are around the kids everyday and they are still scared to death of their own shadow I am wishing I hadn't gotten them my runners aren't even this bad.