should we get a duck

[Trenary Duck Farm]

Quote:
You can buy non-medicated versions of chicken feed.

 

[granmahen]

All this info is so helpful. Do you think if I keep duck separate but attached to chicken run, it'll be less lonely. My chickens are quite bossy and opinionated and I worry they'll hen-peck the poor thing. It's a pekin, and I also worry about ending up with a 9 lb. duck. I guess I just have to give DH the info and let him tell the granddaughter yes or no. But it does all sound like its a lot of extra trouble.

 

[taraann81]

What kind of duck? Some breeds are noisier than others. Muscovies are exceptionally quite, WAY quieter than chickens. Muscovies don't quack and don't NEED swimming water. Mine get along fine with the chickens though they are messier.

 

[taraann81]

We must have been typing at the same time. Pekins I have heard are noisy, I have no first hand experience though.

 

[granmahen]

It is a pekin. Of course granddaughter says it wasn't noisy at friend's house, then again she really wants it. They actually have a male and female and at first I wanted a female for the eggs, but the constant quacking, if that's what they do, would drive DH crazy, neighbors too. So now am contemplating a male. Thought I'd just have a deep water bowl in pen and let him out to swim in pond every day when I let the hens out to free range. Oh, do I clip wings so he won't fly away while free ranging?

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Pekins are too heavy to fly. It may get lonely in a pen by itself. When I was a child we had one lone male pekin (his buddy died), he became fast friends with our dog and never left him alone, even sleeping with him. Thank goodness the dog was tolerant~! \\

The eggs are delicious. Our pekins eggs are now so big they won't fit in a JUMBO egg carton!

 

[granmahen]

Ooooh. Now I want ducks so bad. Am still worried about room. Backyard is less than 1/4 acre. Have always had the rule females only, for eggs. You know make them earn their keep. But unless we can find some muscovies, I'm thinking we better say no to the Pekin female. You know, the only answer is to move to a farm....hmm...now I need to win the lottery.

 

[truecolorsloft]

We have two Pekin drakes, and two Pekin ducks. The girls won't shut up, and are always pestering the Drakes. The drakes are quiet. Expect lots of mudd, and When they are young, they'll be a bit jumpy. But should calm down with time and age. To tame them, remain calm, and always have a handful of feed. Ducks seem to forget their fears when food is involved. LOL!

 

[granmahen]

Are you all in the country? Any of you in the city?

 

[truecolorsloft]

We're in a "rual suburb." My folks live 20 mins north of Boston, and when i lived at home, no one complained about our birds. Now i live in Central NH, with 4 ducks, 8 pigeons, 7 doves, and two chickens. LOL!