Good pet ducks?

[FunQuail]

Hi!
What ducks are have been your favorites? Pros, cons?
Can’t wait to hear what you all have to say!
Thanks!

 

[HuffleClaw]

Following! I don’t have ducks myself but I’ve been researching and the Call Ducks have been one of my favorites! They seem small, yet hardy!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So far i can only talk about our fawn and white Indian Runners.
When we got them in June, i was not planning to become attached to them, not giving them names, just feed them and collect the eggs.
Well the ducks had other plans with me! They all showed their own personalities, they were communicating with me, be curious of what i was doing around them and they were not even afraid of noise the circular saw made when i was building their duck-enclosure.
Indian runners are nervous and afraid to new things in their area, except for new tomatoes, they are - trusted - immediately. And eaten!
They always brighten me up, when i open the door to their enclosure and let the ducks out. Those comical looking, white-shorts wearing mini-dinosaurs are just fun to observe. Mine eat treats out of my hands now, but they likely will never like to be picked up, but they stay always close to their humans. My wife and i had lot's of breakfasts, lunches and dinners on out screened porch with the ducks curiously observing us and chatting with us.
Next spring i am planning to have some more ducklings, Buff Orpingtons and Golden Layers. Looking forward to experience new duck personalities.

 

[Runner duck mom]

I've only had runner ducks so I cant speak for any other breeds. We got our 1st pair almost 2 years ago and they have been great. Ours are quite friendly (not big fans of being picked up but they tolerate it) and not too loud. Mostly they are super funny! Watching them run over to say hello can put a smile on my face anytime We get plenty of eggs and don't have to worry about them flying away.
They can be messy (as ducks are) but they like to follow us around and help with chores.
There are a lot of other great breeds as well, looking forward to seeing other replies

 

[New2Chicks97]

I don’t have ducks currently. As a kids we had Black Swedish and Blue Swedish and both breeds were equally beautiful and friendly.

 

[TheBeardie]

I personally love muscovies! I've had other, more domestic, duck breeds before I got my hands on a muscovy. I've had Crested, Welsh harlequin, Magpie and more recently a Khaki Campbell drake, male, that came with a muscovy drake.

ETA: As @Soon2BChixMom pointed out crested is not a breed. I should have remembered this, one of my Welsh harlequins where crested!



The cresteds where sweet but could be a little dumb sometimes. The Welsh harlequin was was similar. I remember the Magpies being quite noisy. The Khaki Campbell drake was stand-off-ish, but he did call back to me when I called for the ducks. It was quick and easy way to find them.

Since I got my first muscovy, Burt, I've stuck with them. One thing about muscovies is that they can fly. Smaller ducks, female, can fly extremely well and large drakes usually land, if they even get off the ground, right on their face.

Most muscovy owners trim their wings so they can't take flight. Ducks make a peeping sound, one of my ducks make a loud raspy horn like sound though. Drakes hiss... Take a look on YouTube and see what I mean. Muscovies are one of the quietest duck breeds, if you need a quiet breed go for a muscovy.

Ducks are just plain messy, especially ducklings. It takes ducklings minutes to destroy a chick ready brooder. I don't use normal chick waterers. I use a milk jug with a hole cut out, deep enough to be able to put their entire head in the water and high enough not to splash out all over the brooder.

Ducks are so much different than chickens. At the very least they need kiddie pools for bathing, drinking and eating, yes they need water to eat! Duck poop is always so wet, broody poop is in my opinion some of the worst poop ever.

Be careful if you have chickens. Most drakes I've had hated roosters, a fight could easily end in a death. Drakes also have penises, chickens don't. Drakes have a corkscrew penis to slot into the ducks corkscrew vagana. Hens can get seriously injured from a drake mating with them.

Muscovies are also large breed. Drakes can get up around 20 pounds, ducks around 10. Do you have the room for such big ducks? Are you willing to deal with the almost daily pool changes? Or how messy how ducklings, and ducks, are in general?

I'm not discouraging you to get ducks, I'm just wanting you to figure out if your ready for ducks. If you do decide to get ducks I'm sure you'll love them!

Here are some pictures of my muscovies.

This duck loves it in the tree! You can see the younger chocolate drake on the blue water barrel, he tried to get up in the tree with her but didn't quite make it.

This is a young Bert.

This is Burt about a year before he died.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I personally love muscovies! I've had other, more domestic, duck breeds before I got my hands on a muscovy. I've had Crested, Welsh harlequin, Magpie and more recently a Khaki Campbell drake, male, that came with a muscovy drake.

The cresteds where sweet but could be a little dumb sometimes. The Welsh harlequin was was similar. I remember the Magpies being quite noisy. The Khaki Campbell drake was stand-off-ish, but he did call back to me when I called for the ducks. It was quick and easy way to find them.

Since I got my first muscovy, Burt, I've stuck with them. One thing about muscovies is that they can fly. Smaller ducks, female, can fly extremely well and large drakes usually land, if they even get off the ground, right on their face.

Most muscovy owners trim their wings so they can't take flight. Ducks make a peeping sound, one of my ducks make a loud raspy horn like sound though. Drakes hiss... Take a look on YouTube and see what I mean. Muscovies are one of the quietest duck breeds, if you need a quiet breed go for a muscovy.

Ducks are just plain messy, especially ducklings. It takes ducklings minutes to destroy a chick ready brooder. I don't use normal chick waterers. I use a milk jug with a hole cut out, deep enough to be able to put their entire head in the water and high enough not to splash out all over the brooder.

Ducks are so much different than chickens. At the very least they need kiddie pools for bathing, drinking and eating, yes they need water to eat! Duck poop is always so wet, broody poop is in my opinion some of the worst poop ever.

Be careful if you have chickens. Most drakes I've had hated roosters, a fight could easily end in a death. Drakes also have penises, chickens don't. Drakes have a corkscrew penis to slot into the ducks corkscrew vagana. Hens can get seriously injured from a drake mating with them.

Muscovies are also large breed. Drakes can get up around 20 pounds, ducks around 10. Do you have the room for such big ducks? Are you willing to deal with the almost daily pool changes? Or how messy how ducklings, and ducks, are in general?

I'm not discouraging you to get ducks, I'm just wanting you to figure out if your ready for ducks. If you do decide to get ducks I'm sure you'll love them!

Here are some pictures of my muscovies.

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This duck loves it in the tree! You can see the younger chocolate drake on the blue water barrel, he tried to get up in the tree with her but didn't quite make it.
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This is a young Bert.
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This is Burt about a year before he died.
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I love my muscovies too. But, that is all I've had.
Btw, crested isn't a breed just a genetic defect. All breeds can be crested. It's a hole in the skull and is genetically passed on to offspring - maybe that's why they seemed a bit "dumb".
My muscovies have been a learning experience, but it probably is with any breed. They have been easy to train even with mistakes I've probably made.
@FunQuail What is your idea of a good pet duck? I think it all has to do with what you are looking for because I guarantee any duck will win you over no matter what their antics are.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy. They are for the most part quiet ducks, and great foragers. When I had my mallard based ducks it was always a loud wet party with them.

 

[chickens really]

Call Ducks. They are are fantastic and friendly. Loud but worth the noise.

 

[TheBeardie]

I love my muscovies too. But, that is all I've had.
Btw, crested isn't a breed just a genetic defect. All breeds can be crested. It's a hole in the skull and is genetically passed on to offspring - maybe that's why they seemed a bit "dumb".
My muscovies have been a learning experience, but it probably is with any breed. They have been easy to train even with mistakes I've probably made.
@FunQuail What is your idea of a good pet duck? I think it all has to do with what you are looking for because I guarantee any duck will win you over no matter what their antics are.

Yes, I forgot the the crested wasn't a breed. I was kinda on a roll there with muscovies.