The BEST Thing About Having Ducks As Pets

[FunnyBunnies12]

Since I'm a newbie to having ducks, I was wondering what is it about ducks that got you interested in getting them and then adding to the flock? Do you notice a differents in temperament in the breeds and sexes? Did you always want ducks, or did you just kind of stumble onto them and that was it, you love them. I'm interested in knowing what goes through others minds on ducks. A lot of people who don't own or understand think they are dirty stinky birds. To me, they are wonderful and they are only dirty and stinky if you don't clean them or after them.

 

[KansasKid]

My addiction started a while back when i saw those little buggers in a farms store stock tank and bought a few cus they were cute and i thought it would be cool to have ducks splash around my pond, my addiction grew, i looked up breeds on the internet, and now i have 16 duckies (thats not a lot to some people) and out of the bunch i have 4 mandarins and some ringed teal that should be here around october. My addiction is growing and i hope to get some fulvous tree ducks next year.

 

[Amiga]

Bill Mollison wrote, "you don't have a slug problem, you have a duck deficiency." So, when slugs ate my lunch - literally - last year, I resolved to correct the deficiency.

The minute I heard the message that my "chicks" had arrived, I felt absolutely maternal about the little peepers. At almost six months, they are still my little sweeties. I have eleven runners.

They ARE wonderful. And I have had visitors come over and remark that their run is so clean, with hardly any odor. It takes work, and setting up a system that manages the odor. Standing in the pen with them, if they poop right next to me, yes, there is an odor for a few minutes. But whenever I check in with neighbors they assure me that there is no odor as far as they can tell.

I was told they are high strung, and except for several weeks when they were adolescent, that has not been the case. They can be startled, but they settle right back down within moments. And what doesn't startle them includes the neighbors' dirt bike and tractor mower, the road being repaved, fireworks in the distance, motorcycles (except for one with very loud pipes), car doors.

 

[MysticalMom]

I first got into ducks to help control my tick problem. I didn't want chickens and ducks seemed a good option. I live on a 260 acre Christmas Tree farm and ticks seem to LOVE pine. I got my 20 + ducks and now some months later I haven't seen a tick ANYWHERE. We used to be not able to sit out on our porch because of all the spiders and granddaddy long legs. Now I can sit on my porch because they're all gone. Bugs, slug, spiders, ticks, any other creepy crawly, ducks are better than an exterminator any day.

But my favorite part about having ducks is that no matter how bad I feel or how cranky I am. No matter how much I'm hating the world at the time, I can go outside and sit with my flock and they cheer me up and make me smile.

 

[ejctm]

What Mystical Mom said

All is right with the world when you are sitting in your garden just watching your ducks play with water or run about catching flies!

I raised 12 wild mallards last year just as a foster-mum, and they just gave us so much entertainment, that I wanted to get some ducks of our own this year. We now have 4 runner ducks and they do not disappoint!

You deal with the mess just like when you have a baby you know you have to change their nappy - it is part of your job.

The fun, the love, the learning experience, the entertainment, the EGGS - that is why we all do it - am I right BYCers??

 

[Big Dreamer]

I first got into ducks when i was just thinking, Wouldnt be cool to have a pet duck? So i got online and researched tons of breeds and found this site, and finnally for my b day i got a pekin juvenile, not my first pick, but i love him, and thats how i started. Now i have 6 muscovy ducklings, fledglings and 1 adult pekin male! Thats a lot considering im living in city limits!!

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

When I bring the ducks into our house for a visit and a cool off during HOT days, we have hardwood floors and it just makes me just ROFLMAO when I hear their flip flops of feet hitting the floor when they run to catch up to me if I go into another room. Also when I see my runner not liking the cats and chasing them a cross the room. Cats who are hunters actually afraid of a big bad duckie! Reminds me of one of my English Lop bunnies who gaurded her/my sons room, any other animal the stepped foot into their room got chased out. She was the most sweetest bunny a live, she was spayed and so litter box trained. We lost her due to obstruction/GI stasis.

 

[Wifezilla]

Bill Mollison wrote, "you don't have a slug problem, you have a duck deficiency." So, when slugs ate my lunch - literally - last year, I resolved to correct the deficiency.

Same reason I got in to ducks. They are a cute, noisy, messy, hilarious way to kill slugs and other garden pests. I let them in the garden over the winter and in to spring. Once I plant they are confined to their rather large pen or I also end up with a lettuce, kale, and cabbage deficiency

 

[PlumTuckered]

I used to collect anything duck or chicken related. I now have 60+ chickens and 8 ducks. I have to admit the ducks are my favorite by far. I agree with you other Gals, no matter what's going on around me, my ducks make my heart smile big time. I love my ducks so much that I dream about the boogers LOL My Mallards are my least friendly, they spook easily and just aren't interested in snuggling at all. If I get anymore ducks they'll be Muscovies, I have one right now and she is by far my calmest and most friendly.

Michelle