Need help ordering chicks.

[pirtykitty]

I'm Still looking around on line... For when hubby gives me the okay to get either a few chickens or ducks... I'm leaning towards ducks though... I love the Welsh Harlequin, min appleyards and the australian spotted... He seems to think that chickens are distructive is this true??

 

[Wifezilla]

Well, they dig and scratch at the ground. Ducks don't, but (from what I hear) they are messier. People use the chicken's natural tendency to turn soil and clear garden areas.

 

[chickenboy95]

Well it all depends. They can be but then again they can not be. It all depends on where you let them forage. But if your going to be planning on keeping them in a run all the time then you dont really have anything to worry about. If you let them out in your garden or flower beds then yes they are destructive. I had eight ducks and I have found them to be more messy and more destructive than my chickens. I also have 46 chickens so you do the math. If 8 ducks or more destructive then 46 chickens then I would get chickens, but thats just my experience with ducks. So i dont know try it out and see what happens. Good luck.

 

[pirtykitty]

I have 3 ducks right now.. I have noticed with them that any water bowl is fair game LOL... They love to get in the cats water dish out side. we are cleaning it multiple times a day.. they have a large kiddy pool, plus a huge square plastic container I put their salad in every morning and also in the evening when I put them up.. they also take great delight in mud puddles...
This variety of duck only lays from march till oct... and then only maybe a couple clutches...
If I am able to get chickens would like to let them free range some.. I don't like the idea of keeping them penned up full time.. Fred and company my 3 ducks are out all day long and up at night.. ( they are little poop factoryies too)... LOL.. Fred loves to come in the house and sit in my lap ( with towel) on lap and be petted and watch tv. He also loves the treats LOL..
Will have to just keep looking and thinking about it.. in the end it will be hubby who decides which of them I can get and when.. For now can just work on my wish list..
If I am meant to have either the ducks or the chickens I will get them in time..

 

[PortageGirl]

I never thought it was a huge issue, but yeah I could see how it could be in certain circumstances, I’ve always had lots of room though. On J Henderson’s Chicken Breed Chart, he claims that Dorkings don’t scratch excessively, does anyone know if that’s true? (They are pretty too)

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html