The Duck Thread

[duckncover]

0My boys are getting big. They are 15 days old now. They are pretty friendly but need a lot of work. I talked to an expert and I have them separated for taming, That way they will bond with me first. Any advice on how I can discourage them from biting my face? Will it stop as they get older? It seems to be out of curiosity not aggression. But either way it hurts and I want to stop it before they get bigger.




This is them playing with koi pellets. They can't eat them yet but they like to make a mess with them.

And here is them sort-of following me.

 

[Becca727]

Ok, I am new to ducks and am looking for information. I currently have chickens and would like to add some ducks to the mix, but don't know which breed I should add. I live in Southwest Missouri if that makes a difference. I have looked into a few breeds like call ducks (my favorite so far), Peckin, Khaki-Campbell, Muscovy, Mallard, and probably a few others. Within some of these breeds are certain colors for instance, call ducks can be grey, pastel, snowy white, white. Can you mix these colors and would people still want to buy them? Is mixing them what causes these other colors?

Which ducks would be the easiest to maintain and sell? I'm not looking to have a huge flock, but maybe 20-25 at a time along with some babies. If I have a couple different breeds, are there certain breeds that will mate and make a different breed? (like some chickens you can breed for the sex link "breed") That way if they mated I would still have an actual breed I could sell, I think I saw something about Magpies?

I know this is a long question, but if you can even just answer part of it maybe I can get enough answers from several people. I would really appreciate any information.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

My suggestion to you is do not add ducks to your chickens. I really feel like they each need separate quarters. And I don't even have chickens, but I do know that there is no way they'd be happy in the mess my ducks make.

I think Khaki Campbell has some sex linked properties, sometimes. Here's a useful thread, I keep it bookmarked. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/410593/understanding-basic-colour-genetics-mallards-derivitives
Really research is the name of the game.

 

[houseofknauss]

Ok, I am new to ducks and am looking for information. I currently have chickens and would like to add some ducks to the mix, but don't know which breed I should add. I live in Southwest Missouri if that makes a difference. I have looked into a few breeds like call ducks (my favorite so far), Peckin, Khaki-Campbell, Muscovy, Mallard, and probably a few others. Within some of these breeds are certain colors for instance, call ducks can be grey, pastel, snowy white, white. Can you mix these colors and would people still want to buy them? Is mixing them what causes these other colors?

Which ducks would be the easiest to maintain and sell? I'm not looking to have a huge flock, but maybe 20-25 at a time along with some babies. If I have a couple different breeds, are there certain breeds that will mate and make a different breed? (like some chickens you can breed for the sex link "breed") That way if they mated I would still have an actual breed I could sell, I think I saw something about Magpies?

I know this is a long question, but if you can even just answer part of it maybe I can get enough answers from several people. I would really appreciate any information.

ok
here goes
duck keeper for 7 years
chicken keeper for 2 years

mine have the same coop ---but they have separate areas for sleeping. the area is sectioned off with hardware cloth. now my coop is 18 feet long and about 7 feet wide

having submitted this pic before, everyone prob recognizes it. it might even be 8 foot wide.

I have a window on each end plus 2 clear roofing panels to let light in. the right side of the coop(the low roof side) is completely covered in hardware cloth and is covered in the winter with 3 inch insulation board.(it gets taken off in spring to keep it completely open and airy.) my coop is on the ground and since it was flooded twice this year, it got a complete digout on the inside with drainage pipes installed and gravel put back in for fill.

my ducks and chickens get along fine. once in a while when I throw out some pellets and the ducks are around they will charge into the middle of the chickens and be bullies. the chickens will peck at a duck now and then while it trys to get food. my crews listen to each other during the day(all free range all the time). the ducks know the roosters warning calls and vise versa. I live in the country on 13 acres have plenty of predators around. everyone gets the same layer pellets and corn. the chickens are my scavengers so they always get treats from the kitchen left overs. (they don't seem to like cereal or carrots)lol. the ducks don't care about treats--- both crews are laying right now. everyone gets locked up at night with the door closed. (i'd like to see the fox try to open the door or window!!)

ducks are easier than chickens in my opinion. you don't have to worry as much about disease. in the coop, yes, the ducks are messier. I have been experimenting with different bedding that I have been reading about on BYC. I have come to the conclusion, for me it was easier, that on top of my gravel I have put several inches sanitized play sand and then I throw pine shavings on top of that. I go in and pick it up or rake it if necessary. quick and easy for a walk in coop!!

ducks I have are rouen, pekin, khaki, runner and a white mallard.
this is what you get from a pekin father and khaki mother see below

leopard duck!!

khaki 's, pekins. rouens and runners are good egg layers
pekins and runners do not like to sit on eggs. they seem to have no patience for it. my khaki and white mallard will.

right now I have a little boy whose parents are runner and I think rouen, I wont know for another month until his adult feathers come in. his name is Bowtie and he is gray with some other markings.

hope this is a little helpful for you or at least amusing !!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

ok
here goes
duck keeper for 7 years
chicken keeper for 2 years

mine have the same coop ---but they have separate areas for sleeping. the area is sectioned off with hardware cloth. now my coop is 18 feet long and about 7 feet wide

having submitted this pic before, everyone prob recognizes it. it might even be 8 foot wide.

I have a window on each end plus 2 clear roofing panels to let light in. the right side of the coop(the low roof side) is completely covered in hardware cloth and is covered in the winter with 3 inch insulation board.(it gets taken off in spring to keep it completely open and airy.) my coop is on the ground and since it was flooded twice this year, it got a complete digout on the inside with drainage pipes installed and gravel put back in for fill.

my ducks and chickens get along fine. once in a while when I throw out some pellets and the ducks are around they will charge into the middle of the chickens and be bullies. the chickens will peck at a duck now and then while it trys to get food. my crews listen to each other during the day(all free range all the time). the ducks know the roosters warning calls and vise versa. I live in the country on 13 acres have plenty of predators around. everyone gets the same layer pellets and corn. the chickens are my scavengers so they always get treats from the kitchen left overs. (they don't seem to like cereal or carrots)lol. the ducks don't care about treats--- both crews are laying right now. everyone gets locked up at night with the door closed. (i'd like to see the fox try to open the door or window!!)

ducks are easier than chickens in my opinion. you don't have to worry as much about disease. in the coop, yes, the ducks are messier. I have been experimenting with different bedding that I have been reading about on BYC. I have come to the conclusion, for me it was easier, that on top of my gravel I have put several inches sanitized play sand and then I throw pine shavings on top of that. I go in and pick it up or rake it if necessary. quick and easy for a walk in coop!!

ducks I have are rouen, pekin, khaki, runner and a white mallard.
this is what you get from a pekin father and khaki mother see below

leopard duck!!

khaki 's, pekins. rouens and runners are good egg layers
pekins and runners do not like to sit on eggs. they seem to have no patience for it. my khaki and white mallard will.

right now I have a little boy whose parents are runner and I think rouen, I wont know for another month until his adult feathers come in. his name is Bowtie and he is gray with some other markings.

hope this is a little helpful for you or at least amusing !!!!

I enjoyed it and love Leopard duck very pretty.

 

[lovinchickypoos]

houseofknauss, I love your set up and your duck is beautiful! Sounds like you can get some pretty cool looking mixes! My only two ducks are a mallard duck and black IR drake. I'd love to get a couple more ducks when budget allows. I'm not sure how people decide to stick to one breed of duck or chicken with so many awesome breeds to choose from!

 

[houseofknauss]

houseofknauss, I love your set up and your duck is beautiful! Sounds like you can get some pretty cool looking mixes! My only two ducks are a mallard duck and black IR drake. I'd love to get a couple more ducks when budget allows. I'm not sure how people decide to stick to one breed of duck or chicken with so many awesome breeds to choose from!

thanks!!! I have always loved the mixes I have gotten. it is always a surprise in what the genetics will do especially if there are any recessed genes. I had a good sized crew 3 years ago that I kept getting crested ducks from. the mother was mallard and the father was a mix? he was tan colored. unfortunately, a fox knocked out my whole crew. (hence why I have an extremely secure coop now. thank god!)

If you plan on ducks for just fun, get what you want and see what happens. try to have people who are willing to take your extras if you don't want to sell. my white mallard had 2 clutches this year and I kept 1 duck from each one. you will find people who will take them for eating and some for pets!

good luck for next year!!!

 

[MrsMellyB]

Identify my ducks please. I know the ones on top are not easy to see, however they are in appearance two mallard drakes and a hen... don't know if you'd call them just domestic mallards, or something else. I only have two of the bottom ones left, the one in the front of the group was taken by a coyote (no more all day free range at this farm). I coop my ducks and chickens together on deep litter in a raised house... everyone gets along fine. I gave away the pekin that was bullying everyone. My only issue with the chickens and waterfowl together is how the waterbirds foul the water bowls, tanks and tubs I have sitting around for everyone to drink... I have to fight THAT way more now than when I just had chickens... Perhaps one day I will think of moving them into a secured area of their own... esp since now I have found a gentleman for my goose.

 

[gooselady]

I LOVE ducks, they're what got me started on chickens. Some pics:

I'm glad to see my chickens are not goof balls! They have their own water containers all over the chicken yard but they demand to drink out of my goose pool! I have a large kiddie pool and they line up around it to drink. I'm glad to see mine aren't the only ones who do that. Lol.

 

[MoTappin]

Hi guys! I haven't been here much but I love coming here to read when I'm wondering about something. We got 4 khaki campbell babies in April, and they started laying in mid September. Since our first egg, our cuties have laid 117! We recently added a 2 year old Cayuga as well. We absolutely love our little flock and they are laying like crazy! With 5 ducks we get 4-5 eggs per day, 5 for almost a week straight. We have one especially tame khaki who lets us pick her up & pet her, and all the khakis we have raised ourselves are very friendly. We have so many eggs, I've been wondering what you all use to store them in. These cartons are only gonna last so long, and our Cayuga's eggs are way too big for them to close & stack. Any genius ideas?