The khaki-Campbell duck Thread !!!!!!!!

[cheezenkwackers]

I was told you need a pic of there backs

I would say two drakes but it is hard to tell if that is pencilling above their tails or water reflecting (I think it is water). The area above the tail in males is solid and dark, females are pencilled or two-tone If you aren't hearing an obvious, loud quack sound by now, I would say drakes for sure.
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[firestomp]

If you do have 2 drakes, by themselves you will be fine, if you only have 1 or 2 females, they will kill her/them from over breeding. I had this happen. Luck of draw from straight run purchase. When one bred her, so did the other and this went on day and night. She was killed from their over affection with her. We got 2 more and danged if they weren't drakes. I also have chickens, this did not turn out well. This spring, hormones are flying, The drakes were all over each other at times and without a hen duck to mount they started on the chickens. One barred rock hen in particular. All 4 had her pinned down one day, I thought they killed her as she laid on her side when I got them off her. As the ducks are just for pleasure, 3 are now gone. If the 4th keeps it up, he will be as well. I spend a great deal of time outside with them all and have seen this breeding happen. Of course roosters don't have a sex organ and drakes are cork screwed. The other hens they left alone, and some even put them off with aggression. This one hen though has taken the brunt of all this. She can at least out run or outmaneuver him MOST of the time, since the gang has been broken up.. She is beat up and is staying fluffed up and less active. I will make a decision soon. All are free ranged most of the time, I could isolate him, but have enough to now around now.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

If you do have 2 drakes, by themselves you will be fine, if you only have 1 or 2 females, they will kill her/them from over breeding. I had this happen. Luck of draw from straight run purchase. When one bred her, so did the other and this went on day and night. She was killed from their over affection with her. We got 2 more and danged if they weren't drakes. I also have chickens, this did not turn out well. This spring, hormones are flying, The drakes were all over each other at times and without a hen duck to mount they started on the chickens. One barred rock hen in particular. All 4 had her pinned down one day, I thought they killed her as she laid on her side when I got them off her. As the ducks are just for pleasure, 3 are now gone. If the 4th keeps it up, he will be as well. I spend a great deal of time outside with them all and have seen this breeding happen. Of course roosters don't have a sex organ and drakes are cork screwed. The other hens they left alone, and some even put them off with aggression. This one hen though has taken the brunt of all this. She can at least out run or outmaneuver him MOST of the time, since the gang has been broken up.. She is beat up and is staying fluffed up and less active. I will make a decision soon. All are free ranged most of the time, I could isolate him, but have enough to now around now.

Wow, I am so sorry you have had so much trouble. Drakes on hormones really are idiots. I now understand why farmers eat most of the drakes. I separated my two boys from my three girls today, to give the girls a break. When I went to check on them several hours later one the the drakes was stuck in a 5 gallon bucket, peeking out the top. I have no idea how he got in it but I suspect he was trying to find a way to the girls. Silly ducks! I hope your hen recovers.

 

[firestomp]

I got home at 8:30 this morning from work, she is now no longer with the flock, stays alone,fluffed and not even eating bread, or other treats . I doubt she makes it to weeks end. I will put her down if I see she is suffering. As for Moe, the drake, him and his former mates were only interested in her out of the flock of 13 hens.How they singled her out from 4 other barred rocks is still a mystery to me, as I have tried very hard to see any difference in them and can find none. This will be his last dance, so to speak, if he starts on any other hen.He can straighten up and quack right, or go the way of his brothers. Personally I don't like duck or goose meat. My friend had the same trouble with a drake a couple years ago, so I was warned of this. I am a bit frustrated as she was a good layer. I have read you need up to 8 females to 1 male duck, as they don't pair up like some other animals.This high number of hens keeps the male from overbreeding a single or two females. Buying straight run ducks, my luck was not good at all. You can buy sexed ducklings from hatcheries, since these were got only for the pleasure of their antics, I wont get anymore ducks.

 

[megpie021]

Hello all!

We have two khaki campbells. I am trying to confirm if they are both drakes. They are 6 or 7 weeks old now. They sound different from one another, but neither of them are quacking the way our runner does. Taco sounds like theres a frog in his/her throat but isnt super quiet, and Popcorn still mostly to my ear makes baby noises.

Taco is the little bit darker looking one. Tail is pointier than Popcorns.



Does Popcorn have the beginning of a drake feather here? *the one not drinking



Popcorn full body and tail


Taco full body



We are okay with them being boys, and are just wondering how many girlfriends we need to order so Bagel(runner) isnt overwhelmed. Obviously if one of them looks like it might be a girl that changes how many we order.

 

[firestomp]

In picture 3(popcorn) I enlarged it and can see the middle back feathers starting to curl, so I say drake for popcorn. If you are lucky the other is a female. At any rate, you will know for sure in a few more weeks. I would get at least 6 females if you are serious about protecting one or maybe two females. The males are veryy sexualy active, I lost the one female do to their over attention to her. The 6 or 8 to 1 ratio will keep the females safe and him happy. Breeding goes on night and day, I had 2 drakes and 1 female. If one bred her, the second followed shortly after. I work shift work so would watch them all night at times, and like I said this went on day and night, many times in a 24 hr. period. She was simply overwhelmed by it. Stromberg Hatchery sells sexed ducks and are a very old and reputable company.

 

[firestomp]

I got home at 8:30 this morning from work, she is now no longer with the flock, stays alone,fluffed and not even eating bread, or other treats . I doubt she makes it to weeks end. I will put her down if I see she is suffering. As for Moe, the drake, him and his former mates were only interested in her out of the flock of 13 hens.How they singled her out from 4 other barred rocks is still a mystery to me, as I have tried very hard to see any difference in them and can find none. This will be his last dance, so to speak, if he starts on any other hen.He can straighten up and quack right, or go the way of his brothers. Personally I don't like duck or goose meat. My friend had the same trouble with a drake a couple years ago, so I was warned of this. I am a bit frustrated as she was a good layer. I have read you need up to 8 females to 1 male duck, as they don't pair up like some other animals.This high number of hens keeps the male from overbreeding a single or two females. Buying straight run ducks, my luck was not good at all. You can buy sexed ducklings from hatcheries, since these were got only for the pleasure of their antics, I wont get anymore ducks.

UPDATE, when I got home from work, the hen was down and the drake was standing there billing her, trying to get her to respond. It was bad, she was dieing a slow miserable death and I put her down. It looked to me after doing a thorough check, that her internals had been damaged. I won't go into detail. I watched him for several hours, he went back many times to where she had been, so far he hasn't bothered the other hens. Has been very close to them and have ignored them so far, one of barred rock hens will run him off if he comes close. This same hen attacked the 4 drakes during one of their gang like -------- but she was ignored by them. I also have never seen a hen come the aid of another. This fascination with this one hen is still a puzzle to me. I will watch him closely, anymore of this and he will be gone. Some of you may not believe or have experienced this, I have watched this progress for over 2 weeks, from 4 drakes down to 1. I have seen it, so take my word on this. They did the same with one female Khaki as well, only she got it day and night. LESSON HERE--- if you get straight run ducks, be prepared to kull down (give away etc.) the drakes or order more females to keep this from happening, use my mistakes as a learning tool. The best way to learn about any of your animals is through research and observation. Do your homework first, before buy any animals you are not experienced with at raising.

 

[Silkie2]

Can definitely here the quacks now. I'm not sure if I just have two females quacking when I hear them though. The middle one is pretty dark.
Do ducks like to take dirt baths like chickens? Just wondering

 

[Ducks4us]

Hello all! We have two khaki campbells. I am trying to confirm if they are both drakes. They are 6 or 7 weeks old now. They sound different from one another, but neither of them are quacking the way our runner does. Taco sounds like theres a frog in his/her throat but isnt super quiet, and Popcorn still mostly to my ear makes baby noises. Taco is the little bit darker looking one. Tail is pointier than Popcorns. Does Popcorn have the beginning of a drake feather here? *the one not drinking Popcorn full body and tail Taco full body We are okay with them being boys, and are just wondering how many girlfriends we need to order so Bagel(runner) isnt overwhelmed. Obviously if one of them looks like it might be a girl that changes how many we order.

They are both drakes

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would just pick one up and drop him in

they will get the idea

Place him in not drop

I don't like the picture that came into my head with drop. lol