quieter ducks

[WannaBeHillBilly]

annoying voice scale, you crack me up. My ducks keep up a pretty consistent quiet chatter when awake, but when they are upset they really let loose, I was painfully aware of how loud they are (swedish and kcs) when I took the dogs for a short walk down the street BEFORE feeding the ducks and could hear them complaining from a several houses down Also I can hear them kick up a fuss even when I'm inside my house with the windows shut. By comparison, the chicken coop is marginally closer and I can never hear them from inside unless a window is open. I actually had a neighbor comment on the ducks' noise recently (fortunately she was not upset), the ducks were all carrying on because I'd just gotten home from work and got out of the car and they saw me and wanted more food and the neighbor happened to be outside and said "they're certainly happy to see you."

My ducks are also chatter when they're on the pasture grasing and hunting for insects, but the Magpies have such a shriek, scratchy voice, it hurts my ears! I really do hope my girls learn how to quack properly.

 

[123RedBeard]

I believe Ralphie found a real quiet breed called "Dux" ... not even a quiet quack ever heard!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-have-joined-the-ranks-of-dux-owners.1294085/

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

@duluthralphie don't poke the ralphie....

 

[Happy Quack]

Bantam duck talks the most. The appleyards can go either way. I have had quiet ones and loud ones. My khaki Campbells have been in the middle.

 

[Cayuga momma]

My cayugas are pretty quiet, especially when free ranging. They only get loud when I have food or they are upset and even then it's not too bad.

 

[kittypaws004]

I have 5 Indian Runner ducks and they have good egg production and are quiet compared to a local Pekin and Mallard around our area.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

My Welsh Harlequin is much louder than my Khaki Campbell hens. She is also younger. It seems like it takes a while for them to learn to control their quacks. I live in a subdivision with neighbors and although people a block away are aware someone owns ducks, no one seems to mind. They are way quieter than the barking dogs.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

My Welsh Harlequin is much louder than my Khaki Campbell hens. She is also younger. It seems like it takes a while for them to learn to control their quacks. I live in a subdivision with neighbors and although people a block away are aware someone owns ducks, no one seems to mind. They are way quieter than the barking dogs.

Maybe my ducks break the mold on this one. I have a chocolate runner that will quack louder than anything I've ever heard, and my Welsh Harlequins rarely get louder than a little "bark". Granted, the runner only quacks like that when I am around, as she thinks she's getting treats.

 

[PirateGirl]

I will also say that while the ducks quack loudly sometimes, they don't just quack all day every day (at least mine don't). Mine quack when they are scared/startled, so if a neighbor dog shows up, they quack, if a rodent digs into the run they quack, if they are out of food and they see me they quack and let me know (but they don't quack non-stop from the minute the bowl is empty for an hour until it get's filled). Essentially they quack to alert, just like a dog might bark to alert. Once the threat is gone, the quacking stops. Also a broody duck (or one thinking about it) seems to be more vocal because she view EVERYTHING as a threat.

 

[chickens really]

All ducks quacking is normal. Wild Ducks definitely are not quite either. I prefer Call Ducks..