Texas

[orumpoultry]

Ducks, of any variety, require permits. Most people are unaware. Lots and lots of people can and will be fined if the state is ever brought light onto the subject.

 

[orumpoultry]

Mostly though, they enforce it upon migratory water fowl only. I.E. wood ducks.

 

[jtn42248]

First I am not a lawyer so this is not in any way to be construed as legal advice.

Now, the chart above and located on the TPWD website is specific to Wild Migratory birds. All ducks that are wild and fall within the classification of migratory waterfowl are protected and need a permit. However, that applies ONLY TO WILD BIRDS. Not to those birds, ducks or otherwise, that are classified as domestic waterfowl. Probably 95 percent of ducks available for purchase from hatcheries are classified as domestic and can be owned by anyone in Texas that chooses to own waterfowl. That is why, when you order "wild" ducks from hatcheries (like Mallards and some Call ducks) you have to have a permit number before they will even take your order and why most hatcheries mark their wild birds (by removal of a toe) to indicate they have been bred and raised as "domestic" fowl. Those birds are typically only raised by hobbyist and/or those who raise "wild" birds for release during hunting season.

So, I suspect that I, and many others, are just fine on the front of duck ownership. One of the reason I got my Cayugas was to start a breeding program (since abandoned) because they were in decline. What that means is that there are fewer registered breeding pairs not that the breed itself is in decline.

If you have serious concerns about ownership of ducks or any other animal (not just birds) in Texas or any other state I strongly suggest that you contact the agancy in your state that regulates and enforces species protection rules/laws/regulations and get clarification "from the horses mouth".

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

First I am not a lawyer so this is not in any way to be construed as legal advice.

Now, the chart above and located on the TPWD website is specific to Wild Migratory birds. All ducks that are wild and fall within the classification of migratory waterfowl are protected and need a permit. However, that applies ONLY TO WILD BIRDS. Not to those birds, ducks or otherwise, that are classified as domestic waterfowl. Probably 95 percent of ducks available for purchase from hatcheries are classified as domestic and can be owned by anyone in Texas that chooses to own waterfowl. That is why, when you order "wild" ducks from hatcheries (like Mallards and some Call ducks) you have to have a permit number before they will even take your order and why most hatcheries mark their wild birds (by removal of a toe) to indicate they have been bred and raised as "domestic" fowl. Those birds are typically only raised by hobbyist and/or those who raise "wild" birds for release during hunting season.

So, I suspect that I, and many others, are just fine on the front of duck ownership. One of the reason I got my Cayugas was to start a breeding program (since abandoned) because they were in decline. What that means is that there are fewer registered breeding pairs not that the breed itself is in decline.

If you have serious concerns about ownership of ducks or any other animal (not just birds) in Texas or any other state I strongly suggest that you contact the agancy in your state that regulates and enforces species protection rules/laws/regulations and get clarification "from the horses mouth".

Wild Game Birds: (as defined in §§64.001 and 64.021, Parks and Wildlife Code). License required to take, possess, propagate or sell the animal. Some species may not be possessed live.
Nonmigratory Game Birds Migratory Game Birds
Wild Turkeys White-fronted Doves
Lesser Prairie Chickens White-winged Doves
Pheasants (all varieties) Mourning Doves
Gambel's Quail Rails (Sora, Virginia, King, Clapper)
Bobwhite Quail Sandhill Cranes
Scaled Quail Woodcock
Chachalacas Ducks (all varieties)
Snipe (all varieties)
Gallinules (all varieties)
Coots
Geese (all varieties)

 

[jtn42248]

Wild Game Birds: (as defined in §§64.001 and 64.021, Parks and Wildlife Code). License required to take, possess, propagate or sell the animal. Some species may not be possessed live.
Nonmigratory Game Birds Migratory Game Birds
Wild Turkeys White-fronted Doves
Lesser Prairie Chickens White-winged Doves
Pheasants (all varieties) Mourning Doves
Gambel's Quail Rails (Sora, Virginia, King, Clapper)
Bobwhite Quail Sandhill Cranes
Scaled Quail Woodcock
Chachalacas Ducks (all varieties)
Snipe (all varieties)
Gallinules (all varieties)
Coots
Geese (all varieties)

Again, it is Wild Game Birds including wild (implied) ducks of all varieties. Does not include domestic fowl like Pekins, Cayugas, Blue Swedish, Khaki Campbells, etc. Also, not that it includes Geese (all varieties) which would be wild geese like Canadians and not domestic geese like Chinese, African, Toulouse, Embden, etc. And that does not even touch on NON-migratory birds listed. By the way. What is a Chachalaca?

I spoke with TxPWD and, after a good chuckle, the guy said they get this question every now and then. Basically his reply was that if you can order the breed from a hatchery in the State of Texas that you can own the bird and do whatever you want with it.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Sorry to hear about your loss, friend!

In my experience once an egg eater always an egg eater . some have broken them, though.

We couldn't get out there due to thunder storm, it is still drizzling now. However, three green eggs, one brown one out of 8 hens. Not a scratch on them. Three of them were cool, the little PBR's brown egg was warm, as just laid. So, 4 out of 8 hens laid, with no mishaps. Now, the young PBR, pecked her egg in the other coop, but it did not look like an attempt to eat it, more of a curiousity peck. We had to toss that egg, but on the bright side, It wasn't eaten. The final test will be tomorrow. If we have finally broken the cycle, I will comingle the two layer pens, to make room for a breeder pen.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Also, some good news. The Chocolate and mottled Chocolate Orpington female chicks from Papabrooder came in. Seven in all, if they all make it, it will give me 8 Chocolate hens to two Roosters for a breeding program. I am pretty excited about that prospect. I am guessing it will be about 32 weeks of development, but well worth the wait. So, it about 7 and a half months. So, this Spring should be exciting.

 

[Eliza1313]

It is just migratory wild ducks that require permits. Ran into that after asking about mallards from a hatchery. TPWD said that the domestic mallards don't need a permit, but wild ones do and there is enough of a genetic difference between them that they can tell the difference. So if it has been bred in captivity and domesticated no need for a permit.


Ugh, found a guinea egg in the boys coop this morning. Now I have to try to figure out which one is the female. No wonder I've been having dominance issues in that pen. I have not caught any of those 3 making the "buck-wheat" or "pot-rack" call. One of them has smaller wattles that curl a different direction and are less colorful, but I know that wattles are not a reliable way to sex them.

 

[hensfortherapy]

First egg yesterday from my flock of 12!

Soon you will have more than you can eat.

 

[jtn42248]

First egg yesterday from my flock of 12!

I think it was about two weeks from the first Cayuga egg to when they all started laying at once. Fourteen Cayugas delivered 14 eggs a day, every day, for months. Up until the heat wave took over. Now it is only 8-10 a day. And that does not include all the other duck eggs and chicken eggs we get every day. So, beyond our needs and we live too far out for people to come buy eggs (plus a limited market for duck eggs in west texas) so most of our eggs go to our local food pantry each week.