Hi all, I've been reading posts from BYC for some time now and just found the app so I thought I'd go ahead and join this time around.
I don't have any backyard fowl currently, but I do have a couple acres with my partner in northern CO where we hope to raise ducks for eggs and meat with some geese as guardians and quail in the mix sometime in the nearish future. I'm a chronic planner (lol) so while we've been on our property for a couple of years now, I'm still in the planning and planting stages.
This year I'd like to get a stall in our barn prepped for ducks with a covered run going from it to a medium sized corral with several raised beds and duck friendly plants such as raspberries, mint, sunflowers, lemon balm, cone flowers and more, plus cover crops of dandelions and clover before we attempt to get chicks or an established flock off craigslist. I'm thinking of getting around 6 ducks to start. The breeds I'm thinking of getting are Silver Appleyard & Ancona for their muti-purpose qualities, along with Welsh Harlequin for their broodiness. Not saying I'll get a mix of those within my first six, just going to try and build up to potentially having those breeds in my flock.
Once we are able to get geese to guard the flock, I think I'd start letting the flock roam more freely from their run/corral, as we used to have neighbors with a flock that roamed free. It was pretty entertaining to see them come over to our place looking for the grass heads of our freshly mowed space - so that would be fun to see again
Goose breeds I'm looking at are Chinese or Tufted Roman.
We also have a loafing shed towards the rear of our property that we'd like to turn into a sort of greenhouse/aviary - that's where we'd house the quail with their own little run leading to the same corral as the ducks, though I'm not sure if we'd let them out quite as far to mingle with the ducks. It would likely be more of a fenced in 'porch' area, so they can go outside, but not very far from their house. I'm not at all sure what breeds of quail I'd like to get, as those are definitely the farthest fowl off my list as far a timing goes.
That's all about my plans for now. Thanks to everyone who contributes on these forums, as there is so much to learn and a lot of good information posted here. I hope everyone is remaining as safe as possible and thanking those who we do have to come into contact with occasionally who work to serve us essential goods during this uncertain time we're in.
All the best,
Paigero
I don't have any backyard fowl currently, but I do have a couple acres with my partner in northern CO where we hope to raise ducks for eggs and meat with some geese as guardians and quail in the mix sometime in the nearish future. I'm a chronic planner (lol) so while we've been on our property for a couple of years now, I'm still in the planning and planting stages.
This year I'd like to get a stall in our barn prepped for ducks with a covered run going from it to a medium sized corral with several raised beds and duck friendly plants such as raspberries, mint, sunflowers, lemon balm, cone flowers and more, plus cover crops of dandelions and clover before we attempt to get chicks or an established flock off craigslist. I'm thinking of getting around 6 ducks to start. The breeds I'm thinking of getting are Silver Appleyard & Ancona for their muti-purpose qualities, along with Welsh Harlequin for their broodiness. Not saying I'll get a mix of those within my first six, just going to try and build up to potentially having those breeds in my flock.
Once we are able to get geese to guard the flock, I think I'd start letting the flock roam more freely from their run/corral, as we used to have neighbors with a flock that roamed free. It was pretty entertaining to see them come over to our place looking for the grass heads of our freshly mowed space - so that would be fun to see again
Goose breeds I'm looking at are Chinese or Tufted Roman.We also have a loafing shed towards the rear of our property that we'd like to turn into a sort of greenhouse/aviary - that's where we'd house the quail with their own little run leading to the same corral as the ducks, though I'm not sure if we'd let them out quite as far to mingle with the ducks. It would likely be more of a fenced in 'porch' area, so they can go outside, but not very far from their house. I'm not at all sure what breeds of quail I'd like to get, as those are definitely the farthest fowl off my list as far a timing goes.
That's all about my plans for now. Thanks to everyone who contributes on these forums, as there is so much to learn and a lot of good information posted here. I hope everyone is remaining as safe as possible and thanking those who we do have to come into contact with occasionally who work to serve us essential goods during this uncertain time we're in.
All the best,
Paigero
Glad you joined.
