selling ducks---pic added

[duck walk]

is one of the hardest things...I worry about their futures like they are human children...I put an ad in one of the local advertisers for ducks as I have so many...thought I would thin them out just a little...I sold ten to places that were not going to eat them...and then one afternoon I got a call from a person who wanted to ask about buying some of them...her first question was, "These are the kind you eat aren't they?" The telephone receiver got hot and I thought my ear was going to fall off and my eyes started to bleed...I told her, "No...they are skinny, anemic, bald and they don't even lay very well!" And I hung up on her...

 

[awesomefowl]

I think you have a serious psychological attachment to your ducks, and had better be abnormally careful that your duckies go to an responisble, clean, respectable owner!

 

[duckyfromoz]

One of the very reason I limit breeding from my peking duck - and keep Indian runners. Much less likely to be eaten. My pekin does go broody and I let her sit- but apart from that I will mostly only set her eggs in the incubator if I have someone who orders some for pets, and never advertise them for sale. I sell at an auction run by the Poultry club I am a member of twice a year and mostly have been fairly lucky with the people buying my Runners, as mostly they are bought as pets or for breeding - so no pot. It is hard to handle the thought of something you saw hatch and have raised for weeks not going to a good home. I have had a few odd callers wanting pekins for eating but I just tell them I have nothing available.


Edited to add.... What a gorgeous flock you have... Seeing that photo makes me wish I could get into that photo- sit down beside them and throw over a few treats.

 

[ultasol]

There are only so many drakes needed. Excess drakes I end up butchering myself if I can't sell them, as that way I know everything is done humanely and they never have the stress of leaving home. Unfortunately, no matter what some percentage will end up, at some point or another, as prey for a predatory animal, or eaten by a human animal.

In choosing to breed a bird, I have to understand what most people use them for, and it isn't eggs.

 

[Hattiegun]

I feel for you.

Hope it goes well.... be sendin good thoughts your way...

they are ALL awesome

 

[duck walk]

yep...I am smitten with them and their personalities and antics...the picture is of my "skinny" non laying ducks...I am getting 14 or so eggs a day from them and 2 goose eggs every other day...they really grabbed my heart the night that we had a visit from a fox...the previous night two drakes were killed and 14 goose eggs were taken and eaten...but the next night I was out there with my .12 gauge when said fox returned for more free food...the ducks and geese were hysterical and running up and down the fence line in a tight group quacking and honking in sheer panic...I loaded the fox butt with two rounds of buck shot and went to the yard...all the ducks and geese came running to me and gathered up around my legs just chattering up a storm totally alarmed but they seemed to know I would protect them...I just wanted to pick them all up and hug them...they followed me to the gate to the second yard and wanted to go there so I let them...it is the yard closest to the house...I set about hot wiring everything with a pretty stiff non pulsing type charge the next day...two strand on the bottom and one on top of everything and have had no predation since then...

eat my ducks...mumble mumble mumble...I would have to be on the brink of death by starvation before I could/would do that...

 

[katharinad]

Quote:
This brings the question of should you list your home phone number or rather give your cell phone number.
You can google up an address with a land line phone number. Can't do that with a cell phone number.

 

[phikhanhs123]

cool

 

[gofasterstripe]

If you was closer I would take your female Pekins...not for the pot, but to make the duck yard look pretty and for me to sell their eggs. I love my Pekins...well I love all my ducks, I started off with Runner babies, then got Pekins...I must admit, the Runners are my funny clowns but my Pekins are my Favourite.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
What's wrong with eating poultry?

If you do not want to keep them (ducklings) and you don't want them to be eaten don't breed them.

Isin't that simple and painless?