Talk to me about ducks

[Linda in San Diego]

I have the Delightful Dozen growing up in our coop/run and eventually free ranging in the evening chicks. I am going to raise them for eggs and perhaps meat.

But I see so many peeps with ducklings and quail. What are they being raised for? Eggs, meat, both? My DH loves the idea of ducks, but they cannot be in his pond with his precious water plants and fish, if we got some they would be limited more than the chickens will be.

 

[Dodgegal79]

I have ducks and they are happier with a source of water to bath in. They like to bath 2 to 5 times a day, mine anyways. I raise mine for resale for meat, mainly Muscovys, and I also have runners and khakis that I raise for resale to people that want them for pets or hobby farm.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Thanks, that is very interesting.

Are you raising them to be "hand tame"? We also raise parrots, like conures and senagals, and getting to the point of "hand tame" is important for selling them. 4 out of 12 chickens are "hand tame" LOL.

 

[PearlD]

I have quail, and we raise them to sell to hunters, and for meat.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

What about quail eggs? They are very popular in parts of Mexico and the Asian markets. Is this less important?

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

i have rouen ducks and i raise mine to sell i hatch out as many off their eggs as i can until they go broody then i let them hatch some babies

 

[PearlD]

The eggs can be pickled, but gosh, they are so small I would hate to have to peel them!!!

 

[Dodgegal79]

i have a hard time getting mine tame. The runners and Khakis are crazy, the muscovys calm down with age and like to follow me and watch what I'm doing. They don't let you touch them thou. I did have two tame Muscovy drakes, I had to baby them after the chickens plucked them naked when they were about 2 months old.

 

[professor-yellow]

I have ten Pekins, Rouens, and White Golden agglayres, and they love thier kiddie pools for splash and play. it is also easier to keep clean by baling out the water and watering my bamboo with it. I replace the water every day. You have to have a pretty big pond with running water to keep it clean.

 

[Sparrow]

My ducks are my pets. They will never be eaten...I couldn't raise my own meat birds. I'm going to provide mine with a kiddie pool in their run, and they will be cohabitating with my 2 Chinese White Geese. They are all VERY babied.

Currently I have four 5-week old ducklings. An Ancona, a Khaki Campbell, a Welsh Harlequin, and one that looked for all the world like a Fawn and White Runner but who now appears to be the lightest, most brownish Crested Blue Swedish I've ever seen! I'm madly in love with them, and I have 6 more on the way this week. Runners(Black and F&W), Cayuga, Khaki Campbell...all likely to be crested. I initially planned enough living space for 3 ducklings . Now, I'm going to own 10 and their run has grown exponentially.

If you get some ducklings, you will become addicted.