Sell Me On A Duck Breed

[chickens really]

Oh dear, so they’re kind of like trying to raise Cornish X beyond their expected “slaughter by” date! I don’t really want that, especially for a breed I’m expecting to make a pet out of.

I could see it now:

Me: Oh sweet boy, ‘Aflacetta’ is getting a little on the heavy side, which could mean she might cripple up or her legs may break at any time.​

Grandson: (crying) Mimi, are your legs about to break? ​

Hmmm, I need to think this breed over as well. The Pekin was a third duck on my want list.

Don't get them..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Muscovy are def the puppies of the duck world I love this breed too

 

[Mimi13]

I definitely keep my two species separated because my Ducks hate chickens.

This is definitely fundamental. I don’t have any real bullying probs within my chicken flock...only one of my new pullets that thinks she has been crowned the Queen of Sheba and has started bossing the older hens around.

I think it’s because she is a drop-dead gorgeous Partridge Olive Egger that I paid way too much for. Oh, yeah, and maybe because Rusty, my rooster, has chosen her as his sweetheart! In human terms, they’d make some “purdy babies!”

This is something I definitely need to keep in mind. Especially before I go to the time and expense of building a duck pond.

 

[Mimi13]

My Runners are so cool I love them. They are a very busy duck though

And you have Muscovies as well. I’ve read they are very docile ducks, but that they tend to fly into trees to sleep. I definitely don’t want that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My chicken ducks an geese all live together fine they all sleep in a large coop all but the geese they have their own house. No problems.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And you have Muscovies as well. I’ve read they are very docile ducks, but that they tend to fly into trees to sleep. I definitely don’t want that.

I clip one wing on my scovies after big molt in the fall. My drake would never leave his girls..

 

[Isaac 0]

My chicken ducks an geese all live together fine they all sleep in a large coop all but the geese they have their own house. No problems.

Same here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I also have 2 Buff Orpington ducks who hatched with the Runners so have an identity crisis. But don’t rule them out they are beautiful great egg layers too.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Just read through the whole thread and wanted to add my 2 cents:

• Call Ducks are called "Call" for a reason: They were bread to lure wild ducks into the traps of duck-hunters. Therefore they have a very loud and penetrating voice which may cause trouble in the neighborhood.
• Runner Ducks: I have four Fawn & White Runners, two of them don't mind to be touched here and there, one eats out of my hand and the last one won't tolerate me coming too close anywhere. They are fun to watch but no good pets in form of being petted.
• Pekin Ducks: A heavy to super-heavy breed which was created for meat only. They do lay some large eggs and they are usually the most laid-back ducks around. - They also don't have much of a choice to escape from being picked up as due to their size "running" away is really more like bouncing from one leg to the other and make some headway through this funny motion. Sadly many Pekin ducks develop problems with legs, hips and organs due to their tendency to over-eat and gain too much weight.

From the breeds i have here, F&W Runner, Buff Orpington, Black Swedish, White Layer and a couple of muttlings, my recommendation are the White Layers.
They are as laid back as Pekins, here Bazilla Duck is giving me a "High Three" after successful bumble-foot treatment:

And they are as white and as goofy as Pekin Ducks, except when they find a mud-hole:

All of my four White Layers have turned out to be really friendly and being attached to me. They won't jump into my lap, but they don't mind too much to be touched and picked up and they do enjoy a belly rub. And they are active, running around with the other ducks and keep up even with the Runners.

If you want real pet-ducks, you should ask around in your neighborhood and collect some fertile eggs and hatch them. This way you can imprint the ducklings on humons and they will follow you around everywhere and will enjoy your company for their whole life, to a point where they may become a burden… They are like kids that never grow up.

 

[Mimi13]

Well I am by no means an expert on Pekins as mine are only about 10 months old but I have learned that due to the speed and intensity of their growth that they can require more B vitamins and can be more susceptible to some other ailments. When my 3 pekin ducklings arrived I had one with a curled up foot (not just her toes but her whole foot) and was having a hard time getting around since she was walking on the top of her foot and she was a runt that was not flourishing. Some incredible folks here jumped in and helped me come up with ideas to make her a shoe, water therapy, massage and give her B Complex vitamins and how to administer, etc.... With all of that being said she made it and is pretty much the leader and truth be known my most favorite duck. Since she got special treatment so young she has become more attached to me than the others which I of course love. Then....
I recently lost one of my pekins to Ascites which came as a major eye opener for me. I was not prepared for this and did not have proper supplies upfront to tube feed her and medicate her. I am prepared now with antibiotics and tube feeding kit. I had other basics but not these things. Again they are more susceptible to these things. So two out of the three so far I have had issues with. I have a rouen pair and 3 female runners which I (knock on wood) have not had a single health issue with. Coincidence? Could be but it has me wondering. Do not get me wrong, I would totally get pekins again but I will make sure to address certain things upfront. And then there are several others on here that have had pekins for years with absolutely no issues. So it could be the hatchery I used doesn't have good stock. Idk.
Side note: _Ascites may result from vascular damage, increased vascular hydraulic pressure, increased tissue or decreased vascular oncotic pressure, or blockage of lymph drainage

Oh mercy, unfortunately I am familiar with ascites. RIP my poor Butter. More on my time with ascites. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ascites-in-backyard-chickens.75381/

My Chicken Medical Bag is well stocked. I guess I’ll need to get busy making one for ducks as well.