Gettng ducks

[hugitnotnugget]

I am considering getting ducks and I was wondering which breeds cannot fly and would be good for our home. We have lots of land and a great pond.

 

[Virus]

It depends on what you want the ducks for. If you want eggs get a white layer or pekin. If you want meat get a jumbo pekin. If you just want something fun to watch and look at get a runner, though runners arn't usually very calm. And if you just want friendly, calm, tame duck get welsh harlequins, cayuga, or a jumbo pekin because the heavier breeds are usually calmer. All of these breeds don't have much flyer ability and all but runners lay pretty well for ducks.

 

[kiwichiks]

We have a couple of backyard ducks - a Welsh Harlequin and a Magpie duck. Neither can fly and both are supposed to be great egg layers (although unfortunately our WH turned out to be a drake and our Magpie female is still a few months away from laying). Welsh Harlequins are supposed to be particularly calm, which ours certainly is. Our magpie duck is a little less relaxed but very friendly and lovely to have around.

Both are very tame due to the fact that we hand-reared them from a day old.

But yes, I agree. It depends on what you want them for.

 

[buff goose guy]

Heavy weight and medium sized ducks cannot fly, as to breed standard, (Exempting the muscovy). The light weight class can fly a bit but not much, unless you just so happen to be one of those few that end up with a full flight khaki campbell on your hands, but that normally doesnt happen if it has been bred to standard. The bantam class is the class of ducks that all have the ability of full flight.

 

[lomine]

I'll echo the others here and say you should pick a breed based on what your needs/wants are. Some of the most common aspects people look into are friendliness, egg laying, meat, looks, and noise. If you happen to fall in love with a certain breed that has an affinity to flying you can always clip the feathers on one wing to prevent full flight.

I'd also like to state that Pekin are actually breed more for meat than egg production and Runners are great layers. Don't forget that you don't have to get just one breed. You can get a mixed flock.

 

[hugitnotnugget]

What happens when you mix the flock? We have our chickens mixed

 

[lomine]

I just meant you can pick different breeds. If you raise them together they shouldn't have a problem getting along. The only thing you'll need to worry about is size difference. For example, a 13 pound Pekin could really hurt a 1.5 pound call duck.

 

[brookesducks]

I would get a pekin. They can't fly, and they are very social and not nervous.

 

[Vosh Sahaal]

How many do you want?

 

[hugitnotnugget]

6 or 8