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Oh yes i suppose I could, though I'm afraid I would mess up.
thinking about getting a duck.. questions
- Thread starter roxyblue
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Wood ducks, Mandarins both perch also but are tiny waterfowl that have to be kept in a covered light pen.
Call ducks fly very well, we have some with wings clipped who free range and some set up in breeding pens.
The following don't fly and are in our flock:
Buffs are great layers, friendly, pretty, and can't fly.
Pekins are way to fat to fly, very social gabbers around here.
Rouens similar to Pekin in size, colored like a mallard
Khaki Campbell's are a bit more shy, but come when called and gab as they follow us.
Silver Appleyards very curious ducks, the first to come running and asking for treats
Currently incubating white scovies to add to the mx.
Call ducks fly very well, we have some with wings clipped who free range and some set up in breeding pens.
The following don't fly and are in our flock:
Buffs are great layers, friendly, pretty, and can't fly.
Pekins are way to fat to fly, very social gabbers around here.
Rouens similar to Pekin in size, colored like a mallard
Khaki Campbell's are a bit more shy, but come when called and gab as they follow us.
Silver Appleyards very curious ducks, the first to come running and asking for treats
Currently incubating white scovies to add to the mx.
Check out Metzers Farm for a wonderful breed comparison. My Runners are too nervous. My Mallards are a bit wild. My Pekins seem most people-oriented - but they eat and slop like hogs.
Good advice...
For breeds, if you want an egg layer, consider Welsh Harlequins - they don't fly more than a couple of feet, they are fairly small without being tiny, calm, pretty and lay really well. One of my very favorite pet ducks was a WH. My other favorite choice for layers are Anconas, they are brilliantly marked, white with splotches of color and no two alike. They are also calm, easy going ducks, mine don't fly at all (slightly bigger than the WH) and lay well. I've had Khaki Campbells, they are nice ducks, a little more wild, smaller and lay really well.
For pet breeds, consider one of the "meat" breeds, they are large and tend to be quite mellow and sweet. I haven't had Pekins, but I love the Silver Appleyards I've had. They are large, very pretty, very calm ducks. Their idea of flying is to hunker down, concentrate for a moment, then flap as hard as they can and hop 2"! Then the waddle off very proud of themselves! They are very nosy and get into everything and give you THE LOOK if you reprimand them! As a breed, my favorite personality, right next to the Welsh Harlequins.
For breeds, if you want an egg layer, consider Welsh Harlequins - they don't fly more than a couple of feet, they are fairly small without being tiny, calm, pretty and lay really well. One of my very favorite pet ducks was a WH. My other favorite choice for layers are Anconas, they are brilliantly marked, white with splotches of color and no two alike. They are also calm, easy going ducks, mine don't fly at all (slightly bigger than the WH) and lay well. I've had Khaki Campbells, they are nice ducks, a little more wild, smaller and lay really well.
For pet breeds, consider one of the "meat" breeds, they are large and tend to be quite mellow and sweet. I haven't had Pekins, but I love the Silver Appleyards I've had. They are large, very pretty, very calm ducks. Their idea of flying is to hunker down, concentrate for a moment, then flap as hard as they can and hop 2"! Then the waddle off very proud of themselves! They are very nosy and get into everything and give you THE LOOK if you reprimand them! As a breed, my favorite personality, right next to the Welsh Harlequins.
I've had jumbo pekins before.... I called them the big friendly golden retrievers of the duck world - loud, funny, VERY friendly, and not overly sensitive... a great starter duck. But VERY messy and eat and poop A LOT.
runners and muscovies are my current favourite ducks.
runners and muscovies are my current favourite ducks.
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I suggest getting at least 2, though they are happier as a trio. They will hang out with your chickens if you house them together and you only have a couple, however, I suggest getting 2 females if you're keeping them with chickens. A drake without enough appropriate female attention will attempt to mate with your chickens and could really hurt them.
Yes, they can imprint. But it's not really that easy to make them pets and requires spending every moment with them... taking them to work, keeping them near the bed, etc. and it also causes them a lot of confusion when they mature. Imprinting ducklings on humans will ensure you have friendly ducklings, but it can also cause adults to become very aggressive duck-zilla's. This means they will bite, pinch, and slap their wings to attempt to be dominant because that's part of duck culture. GETTING ONE DUCK IS A BAD IDEA... that poor duck will be the loneliest animal you've ever seen because you simply wont be able to spend the time with it that a litter-mate will.
Besides, watching them do their silly thing together is a lot of fun... much more entertaining than your chickens
And the mess of two or three ducks will be about the same mess as one. So you may as well get your ducky friend a companion.
Another thing to consider is what you're looking for in a duck. Are you looking for eggs? Are you looking for beauty? Are you looking for entertainment? All breeds have their innate skills so if you're just getting 2 you'll want to set the little clowns up for success.
Runners will give you all three things above (tho beauty is in the eye of the beholder) but they are nervous little ducks that never stop moving. Mine will stand looking at me with a bowl of greens, just over an arms reach but well within throwing distance, their little legs just sort of dancing in place and chattering softly the whole time. I love them, but they're certainly not lap ducks. My Muscovy are the complete opposite. They're slow moving, lumbering dinosaur ducks who are as friendly as puppies. They'll eat out of my hand, are so calm that I regularly have to step over them to get from one place to another, and they don't quack so they're super quiet. Runners are hilarious, will lay tons of eggs all year round but are too ADHD to set a nest. Muscovy are super sweet, are seasonal layers, and awesome broodies.
It's a lot to decide, however, all things considered you can't go wrong with ducks of any type. I have a few mutt ducks in my flock and I they are great too! You'll love hanging out with them while they do their funny duck business
Digging worms for the Muscovy girls:
I suggest getting at least 2, though they are happier as a trio. They will hang out with your chickens if you house them together and you only have a couple, however, I suggest getting 2 females if you're keeping them with chickens. A drake without enough appropriate female attention will attempt to mate with your chickens and could really hurt them.
Yes, they can imprint. But it's not really that easy to make them pets and requires spending every moment with them... taking them to work, keeping them near the bed, etc. and it also causes them a lot of confusion when they mature. Imprinting ducklings on humans will ensure you have friendly ducklings, but it can also cause adults to become very aggressive duck-zilla's. This means they will bite, pinch, and slap their wings to attempt to be dominant because that's part of duck culture. GETTING ONE DUCK IS A BAD IDEA... that poor duck will be the loneliest animal you've ever seen because you simply wont be able to spend the time with it that a litter-mate will.
Besides, watching them do their silly thing together is a lot of fun... much more entertaining than your chickens
Another thing to consider is what you're looking for in a duck. Are you looking for eggs? Are you looking for beauty? Are you looking for entertainment? All breeds have their innate skills so if you're just getting 2 you'll want to set the little clowns up for success.
Runners will give you all three things above (tho beauty is in the eye of the beholder) but they are nervous little ducks that never stop moving. Mine will stand looking at me with a bowl of greens, just over an arms reach but well within throwing distance, their little legs just sort of dancing in place and chattering softly the whole time. I love them, but they're certainly not lap ducks. My Muscovy are the complete opposite. They're slow moving, lumbering dinosaur ducks who are as friendly as puppies. They'll eat out of my hand, are so calm that I regularly have to step over them to get from one place to another, and they don't quack so they're super quiet. Runners are hilarious, will lay tons of eggs all year round but are too ADHD to set a nest. Muscovy are super sweet, are seasonal layers, and awesome broodies.
It's a lot to decide, however, all things considered you can't go wrong with ducks of any type. I have a few mutt ducks in my flock and I they are great too! You'll love hanging out with them while they do their funny duck business
Digging worms for the Muscovy girls:
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Dana I just love that picture, can't wait for ours to hatch now!
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Those Muscovy are just the most wonderful birds. Just like any duck they don't like to be picked up but they love to be scratched under the neck feathers and really enjoy their snacks right out of your hand. My friend Jackie (pictured above) was out putting water in the pools and the girls came over to be nosey because they know that the fattest worms are under the pools. She started turning over the soil and everyone came running over to get a snack straight off the trowel - LOL! They're a hoot
Those Muscovy are just the most wonderful birds. Just like any duck they don't like to be picked up but they love to be scratched under the neck feathers and really enjoy their snacks right out of your hand. My friend Jackie (pictured above) was out putting water in the pools and the girls came over to be nosey because they know that the fattest worms are under the pools. She started turning over the soil and everyone came running over to get a snack straight off the trowel - LOL! They're a hoot
That picture reminds me of my favorite Welsh Harlequin, Silver. When I was weeding, she'd be right there helping me, having figured out that WORMS! would be found and fed to her. She would get horribly underfoot at dinner time, I had to be careful not to step on her. She was calm and didn't mind being handled, but she wasn't climbing in my lap. However, her happy bill would be under my fingers when we gardened together!
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I had two Pekins a few years back, got them as young ducklings, and ended up with a boy and a girl. They were super friendly and got along with the dogs and cats outside. They even helped one of cats that was trying to chase and corner a chipmunk in our backyard! When we went for walks in the backyard (wooded hills) with the dogs and cats following along, the ducks would try to keep up for at least a half mile before giving up and going back to their little creek. They followed my brothers and I to our bus stop every morning, also. Unfortunately, the male was taken by a lynx or bobcat while they were at the creek next to our house one day. The female seemed okay by herself after he was gone. We kept her company and she spent time grazing with our horses. I would sit in the yard and she came over to climb in my lap and fall asleep while I pet her.
To answer your questions, they are too fat to fly. And the female made nests in the bushes by our house and I would find 10-15 eggs at a time in one before she moved on to make a nest somewhere else. We had the ducks just as pets, but I regret never trying to collect her eggs fresh. Bigger than chicken eggs and white shelled, I couldn't tell you how often she laid, but it lasted at least 2 years. She lived to be about 5 years old. Also, when we moved to a house without any natural water for her to swim in, we got a plastic kiddie pool that she loved and it was easy to slide in and out of. Just change it often, because it will get poopy quick.
I had two Pekins a few years back, got them as young ducklings, and ended up with a boy and a girl. They were super friendly and got along with the dogs and cats outside. They even helped one of cats that was trying to chase and corner a chipmunk in our backyard! When we went for walks in the backyard (wooded hills) with the dogs and cats following along, the ducks would try to keep up for at least a half mile before giving up and going back to their little creek. They followed my brothers and I to our bus stop every morning, also. Unfortunately, the male was taken by a lynx or bobcat while they were at the creek next to our house one day. The female seemed okay by herself after he was gone. We kept her company and she spent time grazing with our horses. I would sit in the yard and she came over to climb in my lap and fall asleep while I pet her.
To answer your questions, they are too fat to fly. And the female made nests in the bushes by our house and I would find 10-15 eggs at a time in one before she moved on to make a nest somewhere else. We had the ducks just as pets, but I regret never trying to collect her eggs fresh. Bigger than chicken eggs and white shelled, I couldn't tell you how often she laid, but it lasted at least 2 years. She lived to be about 5 years old. Also, when we moved to a house without any natural water for her to swim in, we got a plastic kiddie pool that she loved and it was easy to slide in and out of. Just change it often, because it will get poopy quick.
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