The Duck Thread

[Welshies]

I breed WHs They're my favorite duck breed hands down. Docile, friendly, beautiful, and good layers. I've got eggs in the 'bator due the 20th. I'm so glad they're making a comeback. When I started with them they were on the ALBC's critically endangered list. Just recently they were updated to Watch status instead, which is great.

I love their colours! I can't wait to get my babies. I've heard they can even sometimes lay better than Campbells due to the fact that they get less stressed out at various things. I really wish they weren't so rare. They sound like awesome ducks! Yet another reason I can't wait until next year- going to hatch my own ducklings from my grown up duckies.

 

[Pyxis]

I love their colours! I can't wait to get my babies. I've heard they can even sometimes lay better than Campbells due to the fact that they get less stressed out at various things. I really wish they weren't so rare. They sound like awesome ducks! Yet another reason I can't wait until next year- going to hatch my own ducklings from my grown up duckies.

I could see them outlaying campbells because they are derived from them

Where are you getting yours? Mine were from Holderread originally. They are gorgeous - I'm going to hopefully take them to some shows this fall and see how they do. They are definitely different than the ones you get from hatcheries - it's amazing to see the difference between a well bred bird and hatchery stock.

 

[Welshies]

I could see them outlaying campbells because they are derived from them

Where are you getting yours? Mine were from Holderread originally. They are gorgeous - I'm going to hopefully take them to some shows this fall and see how they do. They are definitely different than the ones you get from hatcheries - it's amazing to see the difference between a well bred bird and hatchery stock.

I live in Canada so it's really hard to order from well known places. I have been perusing local farm sales and local shows until I finally found one who has nice looking, (actually probably SQ from what I can tell) purebred WHs. He was selling hatching eggs but I nicely asked if he had ducklings available at the end of May. And what do you know- of course he does. Very excited to pick them up, and I've had several people suggest him to me as well.

 

[Margot30]

Oh thank you so much! I never knew that! I was worried that maybe being a cross breed there was something wrong with him since none of the others have it.

 

[allergymama]

Actually males chatter all the time so it may be a good thing. My boys just talk all day while my girls don't say anything unless it's "QUACK QUACK QUACK"

The first ducks I ever got were all quiet most of the time except for duckling peeps. The about 9-10 weeks of age they ALL began quacking so I thought I had all females. About a week later one of them would quack but it was more of a raspy sort of sound. To show what I knew back then I thought I had a sick duck because it sounded like laryngitis. Turns out he was the drake and all the quackers were females.

Thanks! I'm gonna keep hoping then. One is definitely already raspy, but he is the only one who makes ANY noise since I moved them out of the brooder.

 

[tracyjg]

Happy Mother's Day to all. More egg death.! No development at all, well got the lamp on the dog house, it's cutting it close have to watch it closely around birds, question because it so close. Do I have to use it all the time. I like just to youse it at night or does it have to be on 24/7. They still have the one over food bowl and water dish,

 

[DuckGirl77]

Has anyone ever tried using chicken wire for fencing with barbed wire woven in to keep predators from chewing and scratching?
Also does anyone have any experience with WHs? I'm getting some the end of this month. Super excited but I can't stop reading about them! Oops...

I've got two welshie ducklings (4 weeks) and they are my favorite ducklings out of all six. Very friendly and cute; you won't regret getting them!

 

[tracyjg]

Moved one of my 7 juveniles roosters to chicken coop today, to much fighting hope it doesn't cause issues with my drake and the grandparents chickens don't hurt him.

 

[NathanZee]

This is my 11 week old fawn runner x Saxony drake. Every afternoon he has this pouch, similar feeling to a crop, that sways from his chest. Does anyone know what it is? Or if it's not right?

It just means he has gotten something to eat!

Perfectly normal!

 

[Margot30]

It just means he has gotten something to eat!  Perfectly normal! 

Thanks for that! I was worried about it because he is a cross breed.