North American Ruddy Ducks I love them

Date sort Score sort
C

cat1994

Songster
9 Years
Sep 12, 2010
1,065
6
153
Southeast MO
Hi, Ok so I really love call ducks. But I was at brash pro shop and I was looking at all the wild ducks they have in their aviary place and I saw this cute lil duck diving and playing he had this really pretty blue bill. So I asked what he was and they said he was a North American Ruddy Duck. Does anyone know much about them? Does anyone have any in an aviary or something? I would like to know if you could keep some as pets, or maybe even breed them.
I found some pics of them on the internet so they are not mine, if anyone has their own Ruddy Ducks please post pics
This is a male just like the one in brash pro shop
67676_2738066079_a7ec2e18841.jpg

This is the male with a hen
67676_pair_ruddy_ducks_dave_herr1.jpg
 
I don't own any, but we do get them in our local lake where I live. I haven't seen them in their breeding colors, mostly there here in the winter. They are diving ducks and not dabblers like mallards. At the lake, they either like to be way out where people can't reach them, or in the reeds.
 
I love em too Cat. They hardly ever get out of the water so they do best in a low nice size pond. Kangababy has them as do some of my other friends. They lay giant eggs for their size. I will be getting some in the fall when I build a 10 x20 ft pond. In my opinion this is about as small as can be (water wise) to keep this type duck happy and breeding. They will mainly lay in bushes or tall grass at water's edge.
 
If you can buy them that cheap get em. most I know are 2 hundred a pr. still a steal
big_smile.png
.If you are serious about getting these you need to put your order in now for the fall.
wink.png
 
Last edited:
Honestly.
If you have never had these types of ducks, you dont need to start with ruddy ducks. They are one of the hardest species of migratory waterfowl to keep. In large part due to like Destin was saying, they cant really get around on land. A ruddy duck pen needs to be mostly water, over 50% in my opinion. They are so clumbsy and akward on land due to their feet being about as big as they are, and set directly under their tail. Basically for what walking they do do, they have to stand up like a penguin. Due to this they also cant get into flight without a large pond to get a running start on.
They are in the stif tail family of waterfowl, and all members of this group are this way.
They do lay massive eggs for their tiny size.
Dont come into full color til 2-3 years old.
Need a hi pro diet due to their diving feeding habits.
cleaner the water the better. They dont do well on stagnate nasty ponds.
Kiddy pools dont cut it for them, like they do domestics.
Basically, there's a reason they are $200 pr, they're tuff to keep and even tuffer to breed.

I have a little more info on them and all species of migratory waterfowl here

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=345303


check it out if you'd like. There are tons of very beautiful species of migratory birds. Most people dont even know exsist. And most all are easier to keep than ruddies unfortnately. For your sake and the birds, I'd advise starting out with some of the easier to keep ones, they'll be the cheaper ones.
Once you get the swing of proper care for divers, then yes, by all means, move on to ruddies, they are beautiful!!
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Duckpond1245
Ornamental duck aviary
Replies
2
Views
935
Duckpond1245
Duckpond1245
T
New Female Baby Ducks on the Way
Replies
1
Views
716
nuthatched
nuthatched
T
Injury to Duck's Head
Replies
3
Views
350
The Core Four
T
G
    • Love
    • Haha
Two call duck males in small flock
Replies
2
Views
973
Canadian Wind
Canadian Wind
Debbie292d
    • Love
Buff Orpington Ducks? Sex?
Replies
6
Views
522
Debbie292d
Debbie292d

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom