ridiculiously stupid question...

[UGAchick]

OK - I am BRAND new to this. I am raising my first set of chicks right now and have another set in the incubator. I built them a chicken tractor after being wooed by all the benefits of raising chickens (eating their eggs, having them eat my bugs, their poop fertilizing my lawn, etc).

I have always thought that ducks are WAY cuter than chickens, but I know nothing about them. What are the benefits of raising ducks? Do people eat their eggs? Do I need to keep them in the chicken tractor, too?

Any info would be helpful!!

 

[scbatz33]

They are cuter. But WAAAAAAAY messier. WE got two - hoping they were a pair - nope both boys

I haven't got to try out the egg thing, but I hear they are great and better to bake with.


Oh, and we kept ours witht he chickens til recently - they bully my roo. They tag team him so they are now in their own pen.

 

[ranchhand]

batz just said it all! You'll love them, the eggs are great and they are far messier than one could imagine!

 

[UGAchick]

Do you think that I need to worry about the mess in the chicken tractor (since I will be moving it every couple days)?

Also, I can't have a rooster (because they are loud, sometimes aggressive, etc.), do I need to worry about drakes?

Final stupid question, if I choose to let the ducks free range in my backyard, do I need to worry about them flying away?

I know... how little could I possibly know...

 

[scbatz33]

My ducks are Khaki Campbells. They quackquackquack all the time - but noisy like the roo. They just talk - a lot! Messy is whereever the water is. They play in it, splash it around and make a mess. I had to keep a GIANT waterer in for 7 chickens and 2 ducks. I filled that thing daily - it's like 7 gallons or something. Moved the ducks out - now I fill it once every 4 days!

The guys I have dont' get much lift. They try sometimes especially if they are worried or stressed...but they aren't flying south for the winter that's for sure! I have them in a pen with about a 5' fence and no roof, they don't get out.

And, I didn't know anything about them when we got them...it's been learn as you go here.

 

[ruralmom]

When I had ducks I would save the eggs for baking and what cakes they made. As for just eating duck eggs, to me there is a difference and I prefer chicken eggs. Duck eggs are a bit rubbery and have a translucent type of egg white when cooked. In baking since the yolk of a duck is so big your cakes will raise and be fluffy and moist. They say two chicken eggs to one duck. I kept my ducks and chickens together. I did have to seperate when the ducks molted since my chickens would terrorize them. I have two rouens hens till last fall. 12 yrs old and still layed eggs for me. You will love ducks they are fun.

 

[lovesduckies]

Quote:
if you want quiet ducks, i reccomend muscovies. i have a pair that live in my bedroom with me and they only hiss. they are messy. i do duck laundry about every 2 days or so.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Ducks are messy.. And they are cute

I have heard that Muscovys are rather quiet.. But if you want those you better get them before March 31.. You cant legally buy them after that...

 

[UGAchick]

So i got stupid and decided to bid on some eggs on ebay. I won! Now I have 4 fertile Blue Swedish eggs coming. What do you guys know about this breed?

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
quoting from my "Storey's illstrated Guide to Poultry Breeds"
The bue swedish is slow to mature but is a good meat type duck and a reasonable layer. quite hardy, like other domestic blue fowl, ti doesn't breed true 100% of the time. about 25% of the off spring will be black, 25% will be white, silver or splashed and about 50% will be blue. med. size and the conservation status is watch...
all in all sounds interesting.