How do you raise your duckies? Pets or wild'ish' birds?

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Mine are pets...I am new to them and love them dearly. The 4 grown Muscovies will eat out of my scoop when I am feeding them. The 10 babies that I have in the brooder are my little bundles of joy...they all come running to see me, or maybe it's for the food. lol...

 

[Quacking]

Mine are "farm birds" but I like to keep them tame enought to handle without stressing them. I like to examine my birds on a weekly basis to check them over for signs of parasites, wounds, weighloss or gain and other concerns so ensuring they are comfortable with being handled is important to me. I do plan to handraise about half of the offspring hatched here over the next two months, but also spend time with those raised by the parents to ensure they are used to being handled from a young age as well.

 

[Duckles]

I mean I consider mine pets because I love them, but I don't think they love me back haha. Unless running away feathers flying everywhere is thier way of showing love?? But there is Darkwing

, my fatty, he always comes right up to me to butter me up because he knows I'm the food lady. I wouldn't say they're farm birds because I'm working on interacting with them and gaining thier trust.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Farm birds, which at our place means "beloved business partners". We take good care of them, and they supply us with eggs and meat, but it's not a "forever" relationship.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
I hope to get to that point, but I think that my wife and 3 daughters have other ideas.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Mine are farm birds, but are always treated kindly as are the rest of the animals on the farm. I raise mine for meat and eggs. I do love watching them, and enjoy raising them in general.

I do have an imprinted muscovy drake that is more like a pet. Unfortunately, he seems unable to stop biting. I think it's because I challenge him because I don't act like a proper flock mate as he wants me to. I could do without the blood blisters on my arms whenever I try to pet him, which is often because he follows me EVERYWHERE.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Quote:
I hope to get to that point, but I think that my wife and 3 daughters have other ideas.

I hear you..... it's an issue with the meat rabbits here as well