In your opinion what is the friendliest breed of duck?

[twixerella]

What is your favorite breed of duck? I just want to gather some opinions because im thinking about getting a few but with all the breeds out here I have no idea which one to choose. You could also put a couple reasons why you like that bird or their personality traints. Thanks

 

[DuckLady]

Scovies can be laid back to the point that you can almost step on them before they move. They are curious and like to talk.

Pekins can be fun and full of personality if you raise them closely by you.

Buff Orps are great, too.

A lot depends on how you raise them, too.

Except runners. Runners are officially spazzes. But they are fun anyway

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

i agree muscovies

 

[Duck Keeper]

Noooo runners are nice if you raise them alongside daily activity and cuddling.

-pets her runners-

Well, technically I only have one runner now, but she's my favorite. And LOUD!

 

[kitkatbahr]

Yeah, but remember that Scovey DRAKES can get mean, when they want to! LOL I have two and now that they are adults and it's springtime, they are really challenging me for who is gonna be the boss. One was raised from 3 days old and the other I got as a young adult, but he was soooooo sweet, up until a couple of months ago. Now they are mature and I believe they would love to get ahold of some hens, and I am working on that. I just need my hens to get a bit bigger/older before I put them together. The boys are HUGE and the hens are only almost 5 months old and much smaller than the drakes. I don't want them to get hurt. Maybe another month or so and they can get together.

My drakes can really hurt when they bite. I think Muscovey hens are probably much nicer and don't have anything to "prove" if you know what I mean?

But, yes, Muscovies are wonderful ducks. They have LOTS of character!! I love it when they wag their tails, like puppy dogs! LOL

Kathy

 

[NancyBrew]

I grew up with ducks... was my moms obession at the time. I have seen many muscovies who are very friendly, I just do not like them though.

We had a sweet tiny black cayuga duck who was like the family dog. He was very tame. But very much so imprinted to my mom. The indian runner we had that we got at the same time, was never tame, always skittish. The indian runner female though was an excellent mother, very broody and raised many ducklings. She would even try to sit on our silkie eggs.

I had a Pekin duck that was extremely tame, lived in the house till he was just too big to manage inside, loved riding in a box in a car to go over to my moms to swim with the geese and swans every day. I can still remember peoples faces blinking as the big white duck peered at them from the passenger side of the car. He would lap sit for hours, better than any cat. He was a doll... I have never had a pet duck since as sweet as he was. Miss him....

I have had several geese (Emdens) come close to the Pekin, they can be extremely loving and imprint to humans rather easily when very young (we hatched ours from eggs).

We also had a quartet of red heads, who were spastic and funny, not as tame as the more domesticated ducks, and kept finding their way into the swimming pool. They were fun to swim with! We also had a pair of Mandarin's that we never even tried to pet... they were scared of us even after many years.

So my vote Pekin or Cayuga or Emden goose ( if you have room)


NB

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm new to ducks. I have 7 in the brooder of 3 breeds. Of these I find the Welsh Harlequin the most friendly. The Khaki Campbells are the next friendly. They'll come to me after the WH have stepped out first. The Cayuga are very skittish at every little movement.

I do love those WH. Mine are starting to get their feather markings and should be nicely colored. I love how they turn their heads to look at you.

Ducks are very messy, though, and I can't wait for them to go outside.

But that is just my limited experience with these 7.

Enjoy!

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

I had a pair of khakis who were super sweet and easy to pick up and cuddle...the call ducks are very cute and tiny, but not as friendly...
I want khakis again, but then I'd have to separate everyone for breeding season...

 

[19hhbelgian]

We've had runners, rouens, pekins, & cayuga. They were raised with toulouse geese and embden geese. The rouens and pekins were the friendliest ducks, but the geese would eat out of my hands and let me pet them. Oh, how I wish we had water on our new farm... I miss the duckies & geesers

Have fun!!