First Ducks! Order as Ducklings or Adopt older from local shelter?

[laht90]

Thanks everyone

I think we will definitely wait until the spring because winters get COLD here and think we will have a better first time experience with the nicer weather. I love the idea of hatching them! (sorry for all the questions I really appreciate everyone's input!) If we went with hatching them ourselves, would it just be random with what genders we end up with or does temperature help with what you get? i think i've heard myths about this haha

 

[quackingdom]

The genders should be random, although it seems many people end up with more females than males. I don't.

 

[Amiga]

If you go with hatching, please plan well ahead what you will do with excess drakes. Some folks don't know what a problem this can be, and ducks get injured.

 

[jducour]

I must say that of the six adopted rescues we have had, three have been kinda shy, though they are warming up slowly, one was shy but becoming friendlier when we lost her to e.y.p., one was shy but is now one of the friendliest (but still a touch-me-not), and one is friendly and just fine with being picked up and nuzzled.

It depends on their temperament and upbringing.

Of the eleven we raised from day-olds, Drei, Elf, and Zwei turned out to be huggy, Acht and Zehn sometimes huggy, the rest like to get close, even snuggle with me when I lie down with them, but don't like pets. No one likes being picked up.

Some folks surrender their ducks because they cannot afford vet care, or lose their homes. Those would be the most likely to be already very much friendly pets.

It seems that all of my adopted ducks came from homes that really loved them as ducklings, and spent a lot of time with them then. Then, as happens all too often, they didn't spend much time with them, and they got neglected in different ways. Of the 6 we adopted, they are all warm and trusting, and have never shown a single sign of aggression. These ducks were not abused by any means, just a little neglected. Even the two we added about 2 weeks ago are already eating out of my hands, and I got to hug one of them yesterday! It was kind of like the hug a great aunt gives to her 6 year old nephew, but, like the great Aunt in this story - I was greatly fulfilled by this wiggly, halfhearted snuggle. Marguerite has been the hardest to bond with, but like all the others, I love her too much.

 

[laht90]

lol! well I'm glad you got a hug! I can't wait until I can love on some of my own!

We're going to take a stroll through the shelter this weekend to see what they have on the farm. I've been doing some research and really like Metzer Farms, the only this is that they are literally across the country in CA- if we ordered some fertilized eggs in the spring, do you think they would make the trip to be successfully incubated? or should I find somewhere closer? I would love some Cayuga and Buffs. I know that a few may not be fertilized but I don't want to lose the ones that are because of the long trip!