Good Morning All.... I am new to the forum and new to ducks. I am wanting to raise ducks but I have not decided what kind. I live in MO so something that will fair well in our climate. I was wondering if I can order on line and expect to get good quality and if they are being shipped do I need to order from someone closer to MO or does it really matter? Also, does anyone know anyone who sells close to Cape Girardeau, MO? We have plenty of room for what ever I decide to raise. (10 acres, barn, access to fresh feed etc.) I do have Rhode Island Red and Australorp Chickens, Ringkneck Pheasants and Texas A & M Quail. Not on a large scale but enough to keep me busy. I incubate and sell chicks ( approx. 50 or so per month). This is what I would like to do with the Ducks also. I get really attached to my breading stock and take very good care of them. Any info. would be appreciated. Thanks, B.K.
I don't think distance makes much difference anymore -- it is all handled the same way. The main thing is that, in the summer, eggs coming from the South stand more of a chance of getting cooked in transit, but it can happen anyplace in the country really. I guess the main thing to remember with shipped eggs is that you probably will have a lower hatch rate than with non-shipped eggs, everything else being equal. Average hatch rate is probably 50% on shipped eggs, so if you want to end up with 20, order 40 (of course, it varies widely, so you can't really predict these things).
