Swedish Blue Ducks

[Becky89*]

I am looking into maybe getting a couple Swedish Blue ducks and I was wondering How great they are around really young children. I was also wondering if they are good bug eaters.

Thanks

Becky

 

[helmstead]

They are great at eating bugs, but bear in mind that ducks root like pigs when they're foraging for bugs, so they can mess up an area pretty badly if they're in too small of a confinement or placed near flower beds.

Mine weren't reared to be friendly (got them from my mom who let them be raised by their mothers)...but I would bet if raised with kids around that they would be very friendly, just like a chicken.

 

[Mrs MIA]

We have one - big beautiful duck! We've found that the ducks are pretty skittish, though, even though they've been lovingly handled since we got them, so the kids may not even be able to get close to them!

 

[moms_pantry]

We have 6 Blue Swedish crossed with French ducks (that's what the lady told us they were) and we raised them from when they were small. They are very skiddish. We cannot get really close to them. We allow them to roam freely in our yard. I haven't had a problem with them rooting up the yard. They cal fly really well. They are mostly quiet and keep to themselves. I have some eggs in my incubator now. If you were closer I would give you some when they hatch. I am in Louisiana.

 

[kodiakchicken]

We have three ducklings, one black cayuga, one magpie and one swedish blue, and the swedish is the most skittish. They are all about 2 weeks old and the other two are a little friendlier, but the swedish runs like the hounds of hell are after him. He's also smaller than the other two. Don't know if this is typical or not.

 

[Zack717]

My friend has a few Swedish blues, they are pretty timid but do a heck of a job at eating bugs in his yard/garden. I have 4 Muscovies, they are like dogs they follow me around, eat treats from our god daughters hand and have a very sweet disposition. The only drawback is that they get kinda big.

 

[Becky89*]

Quote:
If I were to get some Swedish Blues and let them out of there aready half a football field sized new fence, would they be easy to train to stay away from the garden plants and only eat outside the rows, like my other ducks know to do??

 

[Becky89*]

could I also train them to hide or something incase of another dog attack? Would they pick it up from thje other birds??

 

[s6bee]

Are ducks good at keeping a small pond clean of leeches? Or are they bad for ducks?

 

[Becky89*]

I am not sure on that, but I wouldn't try it.