It's almost time! Duck buyers unite!

[Bridger Davis]

Does anyone have experience with Metzer's production birds, white layer, golden hybrid, etc.? Do production birds burn out faster? What I mean is while they may lay a lot of eggs in a year, will they continue to lay for as many years? Are there more problems because they are bred for production or less problems because they are hybrids? Any thoughts on this?

Good questions!! I'll tag some peeps... @chickens really @DuckLady @WVduckchick @casportpony @Pyxis @Miss Lydia ... That should take care of it!

 

[Pyxis]

Does anyone have experience with Metzer's production birds, white layer, golden hybrid, etc.? Do production birds burn out faster? What I mean is while they may lay a lot of eggs in a year, will they continue to lay for as many years? Are there more problems because they are bred for production or less problems because they are hybrids? Any thoughts on this?

Every bird hatched with all the yolks it will ever have - it does not make more over its life. So, once it runs through those yolks, it won't be able to lay any more of them. A production bird has been designed to lay them as fast as it can, and it won't necessarily have more of them to use. So a production bird may go through most of its yolks in the first couple years, and then afterwards it won't have any more to lay and it may only lay sporadically, if at all. Does that make sense? That's fine for egg farms, etc, because once a bird is done laying well, they kill it. So it works great for them because they only have to feed it for about two years while it lays a lot of eggs, and then when it slows down they sell it off for meat.

And, because they lay so many eggs so quickly, they are much more prone to reproductive issues and cancers than birds that lay at a more leisurely pace.

 

[PirateGirl]

Duck house question.

Do ducks like to have a separate nest/laying area in their duck house, or is just a house with bedding sufficient?

Overall, building an adequate duck house seems far less complicated than building a chicken coop.

 

[chickens really]

Duck house question.

Do ducks like to have a separate nest/laying area in their duck house, or is just a house with bedding sufficient?

Overall, building an adequate duck house seems far less complicated than building a chicken coop.

No need for nests...They pick their own..

 

[PirateGirl]

No need for nests...They pick their own..

also how tall (minimum, duck size house but not people size) should the ceiling be and/or door opening?

I'm honestly hoping to find a larger dog house online, but will build something if this doesn't work out.

 

[chickens really]

also how tall (minimum, duck size house but not people size) should the ceiling be and/or door opening?

I'm honestly hoping to find a larger dog house online, but will build something if this doesn't work out.

Mine are not people walk in height but I can crawl in..lol
Being Ducks don't roost this works great..

 

[chickens really]

I can post pictures?

 

[PirateGirl]

Let's see your duck house @chickens really!

 

[chickens really]

Let's see your duck house @chickens really!

Ok...I'll take pictures first..
Post soon.

 

[chickens really]

My three Duck houses..Enjoy..

Oops a duplicate photo...The Blue/Grey is the heated house. Two separate pens.