How to convince stubborn DH that Grand daughter need ducks.

[schellie69]

I want to get 4 Cayugas 3 female and 1 male and 3 Welsh Harlequin ducks for our backyard flock. My grand daughters can not eat any eggs from the store I have the chickens for eating eggs but would love to have duck eggs for baking. Both of my grand daughters want ducks also. DH is being very stubborn about this. So what is some good points that should convince him that ducks are a great idea. Need help. Also our my numbers okay with 1 male for 6 females or should I go 1 male and 2 females from each breed. Thanks for any help.

 

[julie75]

Do like I did, just come home with a couple, lol. He fussed about them but it didn't take him long to get "duck fever". Then I would add a couple more here and there. I currently have 11 ducks with 5 more on the way! He spends more time with them than I do, and that's saying alot. He did ask me very very nicely to chill out with the ducks for a while and I agreed that I would. Now I keep coming home with more chicks, lol.

 

[Captain Carrot]

Ducks keep fly and mosquito populations down, they love slugs and snails, they're fun to watch and dare I say it....taste delicious. I have no idea if you want to eat extra drakes and ducks.

As for the numbers, 1 drake to 6 ducks will be no problem. i had 1 drake to 7 ducks and all where fertile. If you do get two drakes, be prepared for fights over breeding rights. They can get quite nasty.

 

[julie75]

Don't forget that they also eat ANTS!!!!

 

[little_grey_bantam]

While I love ducks, but keep in mind that not everyone may like ducks.

I think it can be rather irritating to have your significant other bring home (an) animal(s) you didn't want in the first place or push the idea on you. Rather a bit inconsiderate and may raise some annoyance and hurted/ful feelings. Best to give him all the good reasons you can and try to work it out OR bombard him with chickens (kidding lol sort of). I can understand why he may not want duckies (they're cute, but they can be a bit more work). Ask him why he does not want them... money? time? care? space? And see it from his side. See if you two can compromise. If not, maybe find a neighbor who will raise them instead. Just my story - I've had some animals the Other has brought home that I wish he hadn't [evil glare of doom]. LOL! Keep in mind he may not want them because he'll be the one paying for them & [helping] to raise/clean them, etc.

Another good idea is maybe not to start off with a flock of 7 right away, maybe build up from 1-3 ducks (I am thinking a pair or trio would be good) to try it out? If he doesn't like them you can get rid of them?

Why can your granddaughters' parents not have ducks? Maybe they should take the task on of raising them so you wouldn't have to do the work so much.

Me, I'd love to get ducks (thank goodness we have a pond) but I sure as heck don't wanna clean them and the BF would end up giving the birds away to the neighbors =/ We've got a deal... now... if only we could get rid of the animals I did NOT want him to bring home in the first place

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
The reason that the ducks would be here is that their mom lives at home just went through an ugly divorce and is still in a custody battle her ex is not stable but that is another LONG story. DH will not have to take care of the ducks I take care of feeding the chickens He does do the building of the pens and coops I think it just the space and we have had a hard year last year. I would not bring them in unless he says yes. We always talk about things I was just looking for things that ducks would eat that would be helpful and eating ants is a big plus. So we shall see.

 

[Katy]

I think you live in town...correct? Maybe that's why he doesn't want them?

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Good! Come let me live with you! I'll collect the eggs & bake for ya, I'll even feed them

You do the cleaning!

He can do the pen building!!! We're all happy! Wish mine worked that way

I hope all goes well for your granddaughters & your daughter!

Nonetheless... You could just do what I did awhile back (I was just hatching eggs for a friend)... I wasn't LYING either.
Me "OMFG, the baby chicks hatched & they looked like baby ducks & geese!?!?!? They have abnormal rounded beaks & webbed feet! Quick, call Ripley's!!!!"
Him "what, I thought I said no ducks or geese!"
Me "...you never said I couldn't bring home duck OR geese EGGS!"
Him [Evil glare of doom]
LOL

 

[julie75]

I agree I wouldn't "push" anything on my hubby if I didn't know my limits, which is the same for him. Sometimes they just need a little push in the right direction, lol, and if the ducks wouldn't have worked out I had other options. But like I said he fell in love with them from the start. We do live in the country with 20 acres of our property cleared and 3 ponds, the last being dug so the ducks could have their own. They are great foragers eating ants, slugs, flys, japanese beetles, mosquitos and any other pest you can think of. Mine will walk the rows in the garden eating the bugs off the plants. Needless to say hubby use to spray around the house every 3 months for bugs and spiders but not anymore. There are alot of pros and cons when it comes to ducks, but in our case the pros won over the cons, hands down.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
Yes we live in town but are allowed ducks. Just think he wants a farm which I do also just not going to happen any time soon unless we win the lottery with the way the economy is going are house is worth less then what we owe on it.

So I am trying to do everything I can to grow and raise are own food. I would use the extra drakes for meat. I was just trying to get reasons that people own ducks. If I can show logically why ducks are good he will listen but if I just go oh they are so cute he stops listening. So try the logical route first then I will use the bink eyes if all else fails.

just kidding but it is a thought.