Need advice on best duck breeds

Jemma Rider

Songster
Nov 25, 2017
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Maryland
I'm don't have ducks though i want them in the future. But my friend is wanting ducks so i was wondering about duck breeds and which would be best.
She wants friendly small breeds, she is interested in:
Runners
Khaki Cambel
And Magpies.
She was also interested in a Swedish but was concerned about it going broody.
They would need to tolerate confinement fairly well since this is literally the definition of suburban homesteading, i think she's interested in them primarily as pets but getting a few eggs every once in a while would be fine.
I was actually wondering if there are bantam ducks, it's probably a dumb question, but are there?
I don't know anything about ducks but since i own chickens she's asking me about breeds so i figured i could ask some people here. She's not super interested in rare or overly fancy breeds and rate of laying doesn't really matter. And if anybody has any tips for her that would be cool to.
Thanks everybody! :wee
I'm not entirely sure if this is posted under the right topic but i hope i got it right and if i didn't i apologize.:confused:
 
Call ducks are bantam ducks. They're adorable, but hard to hatch--and they do go broody.

Has she looked into Cayugas? Every poster I've seen here has had nothing but praise for Cayugas, as a quiet, very hardy duck that tolerates confinement very well. Also, people seem to like Silver Appleyards. Both go broody.

Khakis are pretty nervous, I wouldn't go for them as a first-timer--not if she wants to enjoy them.

I know nothing about Magpies, and very little about runners. (I like Swedes myself.)
 
If friendliness is one of the main requirements, I wouldn’t go with Khaki Campbell’s or runners. My Swedes were really friendly as well as my cayugas. My Pekins are friendly but I’m not sure how well confinement would be for them. Call ducks are pretty small. There are lots of BYCERS who have calls and can give more information.
 
I started with Khaki Campbell's and they are great. Mine are friendly, silly ducks who give more eggs than most of the others. They also are smaller than the others mentioned (not including the Calls). I live in the suburbs, in a subdivision, and they fit very well.
You might consider Welsh Harlequins too. They were bred from Khakis.
 
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I'm don't have ducks though i want them in the future. But my friend is wanting ducks so i was wondering about duck breeds and which would be best.
She wants friendly small breeds, she is interested in:
Runners
Khaki Cambel
And Magpies.
She was also interested in a Swedish but was concerned about it going broody.
They would need to tolerate confinement fairly well since this is literally the definition of suburban homesteading, i think she's interested in them primarily as pets but getting a few eggs every once in a while would be fine.
I was actually wondering if there are bantam ducks, it's probably a dumb question, but are there?
I don't know anything about ducks but since i own chickens she's asking me about breeds so i figured i could ask some people here. She's not super interested in rare or overly fancy breeds and rate of laying doesn't really matter. And if anybody has any tips for her that would be cool to.
Thanks everybody! :wee
I'm not entirely sure if this is posted under the right topic but i hope i got it right and if i didn't i apologize.:confused:
Call ducks, East Indies ducks, and Mallard ducks are considered bantam. Bantam ducks don't lay as many eggs as the light and medium ducks, like Campbells. The eggs bantam ducks lay are about the size of a large chicken egg in my experience, and the ducks take up little space but like to mess up their water. Calls come in many colors, and lay pale green eggs for the most part, at least mine do. Depending on where you're getting them from, they might lay other colors. Ducks seem to lay wherever, so be prepared. East Indies ducks are black, but have a beetle green sheen. They lay black to gray eggs, so she may or may not prefer that. Call ducks can be friendly, but they might not be, ours only come close when they demand water. Make sure that she can handle them making a mess of the water. All ducks do that.
 
East Indie ducks would be great if they are friendly. I’ve never had them but I love them and they are quite small.:highfive:

I want a group too.
My hubs owes me ducks. We made a deal a couple years ago. He wanted something and I said "sure, if I can get ducks".......... I have a city lot and a BUNCH of chickens though........the broody coop is however empty..........:cool:
 
Call ducks, East Indies ducks, and Mallard ducks are considered bantam. Bantam ducks don't lay as many eggs as the light and medium ducks, like Campbells. The eggs bantam ducks lay are about the size of a large chicken egg in my experience, and the ducks take up little space but like to mess up their water. Calls come in many colors, and lay pale green eggs for the most part, at least mine do. Depending on where you're getting them from, they might lay other colors. Ducks seem to lay wherever, so be prepared. East Indies ducks are black, but have a beetle green sheen. They lay black to gray eggs, so she may or may not prefer that. Call ducks can be friendly, but they might not be, ours only come close when they demand water. Make sure that she can handle them making a mess of the water. All ducks do that.
:goodpost:
 

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