just how messy are ducks?

[chickachickawhat]

just how messy are ducks. i here from people that they arent messy then i hear that they are. also do ducks actually need water to swim in. and whats a easy maintaining duck

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Ducks are absolutely nasty!!!! I got 4 and re-homed them before they were even fully feathered. I just could not handle the mess!!! Mine were insisting on swimming from the day I got them, so I started giving them twice daily swim time at 4 days. They were literally trying to cram their bodies in the water bowl. They would dump their food, their water, poop more than a small pony, and mix it all together to play in. They make baby chickens look spotless!!!!

I forgot to mention, they were absolutely adorable. Unfortunately, NOTHING is cute enough to warrant that mess!!!

 

[kodiakchicken]

Ducks are MESSY!!! I have three ducklings and five chicks and the ducks poop 2-3 times as much as the chicks. And they are big, wet, often projectile poops too! They also string water all over the place. I have my ducklings in a large rubbermaid tote and need to change their pine shavings twice a day (but usually only get to it once!).

That said, they are cute and adorable and have endless personality. I will probably be locked out of this forum for saying this, but I could easily chuck all the chickens out the door right now and just raise ducks. The chickens act like we're going to murder them in their sleep, even though they've had the same attention the ducks have, and when I take them out they just stand around like "duuhhh, what do we do now" whereas the ducks come to the brooder and peep for us everytime we walk by and when we let them out they run back and forth and nibblle at our clothes and let us pet them.

No, they don't need water to swim in but they absolutely love it. I'm just going to get a kiddie pool and build a little ramp up to it.

The ducks seem much hardier than chickens and from what I've read in "Storey's Guide" they are susceptible to a lot fewer diseases than chickens and can withstand cold, wet weather much better. They don't need the fancy housing, just something safe and secure and an enclosed run if you have overhead predators. If you get the right breed (Khaki Campbells bred for egg production) they can produce a lot more eggs in a year than a chicken.

I can't help you with breeds except to say we have a black cayuga, a magpie and a blue swede.

 

[chickachickawhat]

im wouldnt get them as ducklings so do you think it would be as messy?

 

[kodiakchicken]

Yeah, I doubt the poop or water messes would change. But, those problems can be mitigated if you have a big enough area for them.

If you don't like messes (think 2 years olds with the hose) I wouldn't get ducks.

 

[chickachickawhat]

i dont cleaning after my animals but my mom cares aha

 

[kodiakchicken]

Speaking up as one mom in support of another - don't do it until you are prepared to take care of them yourself.

 

[chickachickawhat]

oooooo im ready

 

[dragonshiner]

My ducklings are only three weeks old and don't have access to swimming water but they fling their drinking water everywhere making a giant mess. I have to clean out their new digs every other day. Still I am permanently attatched to them.

 

[swampducks]

Quote:
Actually, they do change, they both get BIGGER.

I love my ducks, but I have a pond where they contain their messes mostly, except this past winter while they lived in the garage, poop everywhere!! (they kept hopping out of the temporary pen. I just hope whatever type of outdoor house DH finally builds for them happens before next winter!