How many ducks to order, and where from?

[weeshanti]

Hi, all -

I have chickens and guineas already, so of course the next step is ducks.

I have done some research and want a balanced duck that can provide meat and eggs; so far it looks like the Rouen is the winner. Anyone have input there?

We have a large acreage and sizable garden for them to roam in, and a large coop in the barn. Space isn't an issue, but I'm not sure how many I want to keep track of when we already have 30 hens and guinea fowl. What's a good minimum number for them to have a flock? Are they like chickens in that one male is best, or like guineas who don't care if there is more than one male?

Finally, does anyone have a recommendation for a reputable hatchery to order ducklings from?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[xxDuckxx]

I would get duck eggs from metzers farms. They are a little pricy but are worth it. I got 11 eggs from them at the start of the month and three hatched yesterday and one this morning. I have runner ducks by the way but they do have a big selection. Also... It is pricey because of the packaging but they do a good job so it is worth it!


question for anyone to private message me:
On of my ducks was born very early this morning is now starting to become fluffy. The umbilical chord is still on but he/she is out of the shell but is sorta wrapping around a it's legs... Help?!?

 

[weeshanti]

Thank you for the tip about Metzer's. I appreciate it!

 

[jdywntr]

Hi, all -

I have chickens and guineas already, so of course the next step is ducks.

I have done some research and want a balanced duck that can provide meat and eggs; so far it looks like the Rouen is the winner. Anyone have input there?

We have a large acreage and sizable garden for them to roam in, and a large coop in the barn. Space isn't an issue, but I'm not sure how many I want to keep track of when we already have 30 hens and guinea fowl. What's a good minimum number for them to have a flock? Are they like chickens in that one male is best, or like guineas who don't care if there is more than one male?

Finally, does anyone have a recommendation for a reputable hatchery to order ducklings from?

Thanks for any advice!

I'd do a bit more research and make some decisions on how involved you want to be and how many ducks you want to process a year.

Pekin are the typical meat duck. They lay well but don't go broody (typically) so you'd need to incubate eggs. They grow quickly.

Muscovy are great meat ducks. They are seasonal layers and will usually hatch 1-3 clutches a year, depending on a number of factors and can hatch up to 20 or so at a time. They are usually excellent mothers and great foragers. There is a large size difference between male and female so males give a much better carcass. They take longer to reach butchering size.

Rouen are also dual purpose. Good egg layers, can be good mothers. They'll be in between the Pekin and Muscovy for butchering age.

Decide what breed you want and then look for a hatchery. Metzer is great. They have a Grimaud (french line) "hybrid" (not really a hybrid but a cross of 2 grimaud lines) Pekin which I REALLY wanted to get but didn't have the patience to wait for.

I raise Muscovy for meat and am growing out some Pekin to cross with a muscovy drake for faster growing meat birds. I get enough eggs from the chickens so I don't worry about extra eggs from the ducks. I've had 3 hatches (out of 4 females) since December and another due to hatch next week. My hatches numbered 13, 1, and 11. I processed extra drakes from the December hatch a few weeks ago at about 16 weeks old.

 

[weeshanti]

Thank you for the great information, jdywntr!

We have been researching all day, and took your information to heart as well. We finally made a decision to go with Metzer's and get 10 Swedish blues. We waffled between those and the Rouen for about an hour, decided to get both, then decided we don't want a mixed breed yet, so we'll start with the Swedish and perhaps add Rouen next year. They ducklings should arrive next week.

 

[jdywntr]

Congrats on your decision. Metzer is a great place to get from. Swedish should dress out nicely.

Make sure that you are prepared when they arrive. I always found ducklings harder to get started than chicks. They aren't as inquisitive and sometimes won't eat/drink right away. Metzer has good info on their site about what to do when they arrive. You can look in the "stickies" at the top of the section for info too.

 

[weeshanti]

Thanks again for the information and tips. All our chicks came from local sources, so this will be my first experience with shipped babies; I can imagine they will probably be in a bit of shock, and it's good to hear the symptoms and know what to look for.

One other question: we ordered 2 male, 8 female. Our research suggested this is a good ratio to keep the peace. In your experience is this a solid mix? Do you typically butcher drakes at about 16 weeks? We've only dealt with roosters for meat so far. This is mostly a moot point until next year, of course, assuming they hatch some eggs in the spring, but I'm also thinking of over-wintering with two drakes together...

Okay, that was more than one question. Sorry, and thanks.

 

[jdywntr]

Thanks again for the information and tips. All our chicks came from local sources, so this will be my first experience with shipped babies; I can imagine they will probably be in a bit of shock, and it's good to hear the symptoms and know what to look for.

One other question: we ordered 2 male, 8 female. Our research suggested this is a good ratio to keep the peace. In your experience is this a solid mix? Do you typically butcher drakes at about 16 weeks? We've only dealt with roosters for meat so far. This is mostly a moot point until next year, of course, assuming they hatch some eggs in the spring, but I'm also thinking of over-wintering with two drakes together...

Okay, that was more than one question. Sorry, and thanks.

You should be okay with 2 males. Once they reach breeding age, you will need to see if there are any problems between the 2 males. 1:4 is a fine ratio it's just that some drakes are much more protective of their girls and don't like others around but others are okay with it. My adult drake doesn't mind his 2 sons that I kept as long as they aren't trying to breed with the adult hens.

I butcher my muscovy at 16 weeks or older (7 months is the oldest I've done) but they grow slower than other duck breeds. The biggest thing with ducks, if you are going to pluck, is to make sure they don't have pin feathers. Ducks have a ton more feathers than chickens. About 12-14 weeks is typical for most duck breeds, Pekin grow quicker and can be processed at a younger age. I skin mine so I just go by size or behavior. My last batch of boys were starting to harass everyone so they went to the freezer sooner than I'd have liked since I'd have prefered them a little larger.

 

[weeshanti]

Wonderful info. Thank you so much.