kachi Cambells and eggs

[rhoda_bruce]

I love duck eggs. But do ya'll think Kachis really lay as much as 300 a year or thats just under forced situations?

 

[Wifezilla]

They really do. So do runners. The only time my runner doesn't lay is when she molts.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Thanks. I would have to think on a place though, because they will be messy.

 

[CMV]

I think ducks get a bit of bad publicity about being messy when they really aren't that bad. As long as their food and water are kept outside their housing they stay pretty clean. The area around their water can get wet and mucky, but it's a situation easily resolved by sand/gravel/flagstones being placed under the feeding/watering area. Ducks are extraordinarily messy as babies in the brooder, but grow up to be no more work than chickens and less work than geese. I love my Campbells and fully intend to get more in the spring.

 

[Wifezilla]

ALL birds are messy. Ducks just make a WET mess. My quail are horrible little poop machines, but they lay beautiful eggs, sing wonderfully and are very entertaining. The ducks don't sing, but they eat bugs, lay huge eggs, and again, are very entertaining. I have had parakeets in the past. ALSO messy. Basically pets=mess. If you know that going in and do some prep, you can make it less annoying.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Thanks to both of you. I will take both of your suggestions into consideration and discuss it with my other half. I have had ducks, but did it with the chickens.......poor filthy chickens. I like to cook at least one duck a month (two would be better), but if I'm eating fried eggs and I have my choice of duck eggs or chicken eggs, I will choose the duck eggs. So, of course, that means a meat breed and an egg breed, unless I just go with egg breed and kill my extra drakes to save on feed. Also with 8 people living in my house and so very many females that love to sew I always had use for duck/goose feathers, between making pillows and quilts.

 

[dntd]

I would love a couple of ducks but they are listed in our city's by-law's. A duck that would lay eggs all year would be quite neat to have in my back yard!

 

[rhoda_bruce]

Its so sad when people can't do harmless things in their own yards. Like one female duck in a yard will hurt all the neighbors. I'm glad to live in a free country, but as I can see it, its not so free everywhere. But I better not get too far off topic, because then everyone will wonder why I'm talking about this here. Just saying.......
If I can think on a good way to set up the feeding area and figure out a water source that won't pollute the whole area, I will give it a try. Really ducks would be the perfect Cajun chicken substitute.....They won't drown in a flood......just have to give them a platform to climb up on.

 

[gretchenhau]

That's what I thought, but my ducks lay their eggs in the pond, not where I can get to any of them. they used to come back to lay in the house, but this fall that ceased.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

If that was their business, I think I might take their swimming time away.