I need some help...... What are the pros and cons of having ducks??

[StevenW.]

We are back to the whole getting rid of ducks thing!!!! AGAIN!!

 

[GlitterBug]

I am also going to get rid of mine. (7 total)

Pros: They are fun to watch! And their eggs are good for baking and since they are alkaline (vs. chicken eggs which are acidic), the eggs are good if you are sick. One woman said her duck eggs were one of the few things her husband could eat when he was on chemotherapy.

Cons: My ducks are so messy. They quack all night. They eat a lot. I am not getting many eggs from them! I found this last spring that when they hatch out their ducklings, they are rather diffcult to sell and I cannot get very much for them though I spend a lot of effort trying to find them "good homes." I have also heard they are difficult to "process" because of their pin feathers are hard to remove if you do not have a "picker."

I am glad I had them for a while though. It was a great experience....but that feed bill is they "clincher!!" Yes, they need to go very soon.

But this is just me!

 

[Camelot Farms]

Ducks are messy messy messy. If mine werent free range 24/7 and 365...I wouldnt have them.
But, I also have a 1/4 acre pond that supports them.

 

[TLWR]

pros:
entertaining
eggs
eat some bugs and weeds
free plant food (duck poop)

cons:
They poop. A lot. Everywhere.
They can be loud. Mine aren't typically, but when they want something, the neighborhood knows.

And mine like to call the back door a camp out spot when they are tired of the yard. I don't mind that, but they poop there and that I do mind. And if I'm not paying attention to them and they can see me, they start screaming at the back door or knocking on it to get my attention and do not stop until they have it....


To me, the pros outweigh the cons. DH thinks the cons outweigh the pros (and we don't have eggs yet)

 

[Mahonri]

Pros: Healthy Eggs, eye candy

Cons: They can make a backyard look like crap almost instantly.

 

[sandcat]

Quote:
Yep I totally agree with this!!!!!! We have a large property and the ducks just do as they please. If i had to clean up after them there is no way i would have ducks, The only "cleaning" i do is hose duck poo off the footpath and fill their water bowls up 10 times a day(or more!!!) LOL they do love their fresh water ha ha fun to watch though but as mine a free range i have no idea if they laying any eggs or where they would be laying them.

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
That basically explains it all but none of the people we sell eggs too like ducks eggs and neither do I or My family.

 

[duckluck]

Well, for me, I'd much rather have Call ducks than chickens...was just telling a guy at a show that people say they are messy, but the chicken people have as much junk and gadgets for grooming their chickens in a tote as I have for my horses! For Call ducks, it's pretty much a bucket of water, nail clippers, maybe an emery board and a bit of olive oil. And I NEVER have as much poop on duck feet as I see chickens having!

He wanted some more good reasons to have Calls, as he is thinking about getting them, and I was glad to supply a list!

 

[Omniskies]

Ducklover, you may be going about this the wrong way.

What are YOUR pros and cons to keeping ducks? What do you like about them? What do you hate about them?

 

[NajmoNests]

I have 23 call ducks and 24 assorted PB chickens, all just for fun. Here are my pro/cons for ducks

PROs
heated dog water bowls with board across half work for me in winter wonderland
they do not fly off over fencing and forget to come home as my peafowl did
excellent mothers - better hatches than incubators
very gentle birds - ie small human visitors are safe
comical
animated
active
amusing
clean

CONs
? whats this?