Some beginner questions...

[duckboatprincess]

I've been asking around about them too but it's because I'm debating between them and khaki campbells. Check out the thread "Which Breed Do You Prefer". Also, post a thread on here if you'd like asking about the breed. I hear they're pretty friendly and fairly quiet.

 

[FenDruadin]

The difference between males and females depends on the breed (other than the essential bits, obviously). Drakes often have a curly tail feather, and their quacks are usually softer and less expressive. In many breeds, they are more colorful when in full feather. They also, as someone already said, tend to be more aggressive, and you do have to be careful not to have too many of them per female.

Cayugas are gorgeous--deep black with an iridescent sheen. But again, you'll need females to round out your ratio.

The eggs are wonderful. They are richer than chicken eggs, and once you've had your own homegrown eggs you will never ever ever want to eat those tasteless pale things they sell in stores under the name of "egg." Duck eggs are larger, contain more of every nutrient (including, unfortunately, fat and cholesterol--but also including the good stuff), and the higher protein content means they cook up a bit stiffer and also give more lift to baked goods. I have served them many times to my chicken-egg-eating friends, and they have all loved them.

Finally, if you want pets, I highly recommend you get them as ducklings. They are not very expensive, especially if you can buy just a few ($4 or so each), and if you handle them a lot when they are babies they will be much tamer.

Good luck!

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:

 

[1lpoock]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=222364
Check out this thread!

 

[duckboatprincess]

Goosedragon That makes sense. I didn't think about them migrating to where they were born. Duh!

 

[kisat]

duckboatprincess Thank you so much. I will check out that thread.

iamcuriositycat Really? Oh that's pretty awesome. I don't think I've ever eaten a ducks egg in my life. I'm a huge fan of cooking so that's pretty cool that they do so well in that. So can not all males be kept together? Do I have to have females? Or can I just get a couple males or females, depending on which sex is available and the one I prefer, or do they have to be mixed?
Thanks!

goosedragon OH! That makes even MORE sense. Thanks for that information.

1lpoock Thanks!

 

[FenDruadin]

You know, now that you ask, it occurs to me that I read somewhere (maybe in Dave Holderread's book, but I'm not sure) that drakes do just fine together if there are NO females to fight over--so a bachelor flock might be just the thing if you just want pets. I still think, though, that you should seriously consider getting them as ducklings, unless you just want them as pond decorations, in which case free Cayugas may be just the thing.

Females can always be kept together, in any number--they couldn't care less if there is a male or not. The only thing you have to look out for is if one goes "broody" (starts to sit on her eggs) on infertile eggs (which they will be if there is no drake). Depending on the hen, she might sit on them indefinitely (since they won't hatch), and eventually get sick and weak from sitting too long. It's easy enough to prevent, though, if you remove the eggs regularly so she has nothing to sit on.

What you *don't* want is a flock of several males and one or two females--the boys will fight each other and probably pester the poor females to death (literally). You need at least one, but probably safer to have two or more females for each male. Or, according to my reading, an all bachelor flock.

 

[kisat]

iamcuriositycat Oh okay, I will keep that in mind. I'm not TOO concerned with ever getting pets that are older and not having them as "lovable" pets though. Nearly every one of our animals we've ever gotten--whether rabbits, goats, chickens, birds, dogs, cats, etc.--have generally been pets that had issues and were already older, but turned out to be incredibly loving animals. My bird especially was one of those cases that weren't supposd to be able to be handled and I can easily hold her now. She's not that lovable, but in this atmosphere, most pets end up thriving. Even our chickens were the "problem" chickens that my friend wanted get rid of because they had severe attitude and whatnot. Sure, my mom and I got some nips here and there from them little stinkers, but overall they ended up being very sweet females in our house and they weren't even handled that much. So I'm not concerened about the age too much and them being loving.
Yikes, I will definitely have to make sure if we get females that they wouldn't start being broody then. One of our hens used to want go brood if we left the eggs in there even one day so I am used to dealing with that

Okay, I will make sure of that, but I am going to guess that the one thing we DON'T want is a mix of male and female just for the potential of babies. I will make sure to--as a just in case-- keep those numbers in my mind though.
I really appreciate all the help you're giving me! Thank you SO much

 

[GrannySue]

About duck eggs;
I realized a couple of weeks ago that I haven't eaten a chicken egg for ages! I have regular customers who want chicken eggs and few who want duck eggs, so I eat or give away the duck eggs.

2 dozen on their way to the food bank next Tuesday.

 

[kisat]

I'm wondering if those have even tried eating them? Before iamcuriositycat posted her info about eggs, I just honestly thought of them as duck eggs and went ew! Normal first thought having never eaten them before of course, but maybe if they hadn't tried them, it's only because they don't know that they taste so similar? But obviously you are enjoying them, so that's awesome! I know once our chickens had began producing eggs for us--we had to find neighbors to give them too since 3 chickens made TOO many eggs for just my mom and I to keep up with--it had been FOREVER that we had even had a store-bought egg so I think it was a little interesting to get used to them again.

Oh yeah! Speaking of which, since ducks lay eggs then can they have the same setup as the chickens to do so? Do they need a smaller box or whatnot? What we used was simply one of those old milk crates that have holes, would fill it halfway up with straw and have it sitting so that the open end was facing up. Or would those be too high for the ducks to get into if we get female ducks? What sort of setup they need for laying eggs in?