my khaki campbells photo diary...

[kingpincray]

can you educate me? I am new to keeping ducks and have got 5 KC ducklings that hatch on midnight new year this year.

When do they start to show adult colours?

when do the ducks start to lay?

how loud could they be?

I am trying to handle them as much as I can at the moment and getting them hand fed with crumbs in my hand.

here they are on new years day just hatched.

after fluffing up

one day old

two days old and my effort of imprinting...please don't laugh and think I am crazy...

I am now thinking to make this into a photo diary to share their progress with all...

Feel free to share yours too.

 

[chickensioux]

I have 2 adult males. I got one young, the other as an adult. The baby was around 6 months old when he was fully colored as a male. They are both very quiet. Low quacking is all. Enjoy them, they are gorgeous ducks!

 

[houndit]

Mine have not started to lay yet. Even the females are fairly quiet.

 

[slaghunter]

Out of all my ducks my KC are by far the quietest. Mine started laying around 20 weeks. They feather out very quickly but the drakes won't get there color until they are mature about the same as the ducks(20 weeks). The good news. They are some egg laying fools mine have really slowed down in the winter but the KC still lay when all the others stopped.

 

[1lpoock]

I had them last year, they were so sweet and fun to watch.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Accck!

I want some so bad! I can't wait til my pen is built and I can bring some cuties home for myself.
I don't think you are crazy, Kingpincray. Looks like what I would do, too. It shows you have a big heart. I always like seeing the photos of you with your ducks.

 

[ChickenToes]

They'll have their adult feathers and coloring around 12 weeks old. The males' heads may continue to darken for a few weeks after that.

The females will start to lay around 20 weeks old, if they have enough daylight.

The females can be pretty loud. Mine are quiet, it's my Mallard that's the loudmouth. Males are quiet and whispery.

 

[Sweetfolly]

I LOVE Campbells. I have 2 Khakis and 6 Darks.

They are a relatively loud breed, in my opinion. I have one named "Piper" because anytime she hears a door open or sees someone in the yard or driveway she lets out a, "QUACK! Quack, Quack, Quack!"

Even the drakes are always babbling. My neighbors are (thankfully) amused by all the noise - they say that it sounds like the ducks are always laughing at them!

My Khaki girls were hatched in the late spring, and started laying the spring of the following year. Since then, they've each laid a nice, big egg nearly every day from late March through mid-November. I don't provide them with any artificial lighting to induce them to lay sooner/longer. If I had to guess, I'd expect that you'll start seeing eggs sometime in May, June, July - IF you have any girls, that is

They'll be all feathered out (in juvenile coloring) in a couple months. The drakes will look just like the girls for awhile, except that the girls will have dark bills, while the drake's bills will begin to turn yellow.

They're beautiful little birds. Congratulations!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

My 3 girls are pretty quiet, they only time they get loud is if one gets separated or the geese start talking then everyone joins in! They are too cute as babies, enjoy them!!! Great eggs too!

 

[kingpincray]

Thanks. They can quack but as long as they are not as loud and as early as roosters...my neighbours can handle it...i hope. I am in town with not a big backyard. Will see how it goes... I will need to sell two of them though it will be difficult to part with them.