You know they can be talkative and messy and are still interested, so you are half way there
I had pekins before I was 7, so don't remember much about those. I now have 3 runners. They are little comedians with feathers. I told DH before we moved here that I wanted ducks, so while sitting in our hotel room when we flew down to try to close on the house, I was researching ducks. Yep, still wanted them. Showed a few to DH and he thought the runners looked cool and sounded rather neat. We moved down a month later and about 3.5 months later, I ordered my ducklings. DH came home when they were about 4 weeks old and missed the super fun parts of their growing up. I had them outside from day 1 - August in southern AL, plenty warm for them. I would bring them in every day to run around in the master bath so the dogs could see them, but not get to them. After a week, their play time ended with tub time, dry off and then back out in their kennel on the patio to finish drying. With them outside, I didn't notice as much how messy brooding can be - was nothing a hose couldn't take care of
I'd like to do it again this summer and think I have DH on board for a couple more (which will likely be another 3), but need to get the new dog introduced and going well with the existing 3 girls before bringing in more peeping toys.
They can be noisy, especially when the new dog gets too close (which is now about 15 feet instead of 50 feet). They are stinky little devils. I'm not looking forward to cleaning their duck house all summer. It's nasty each morning as it is since it just isn't getting cool at night anymore. I cleaned out their big pool 2 days ago and after spending most of yesterday it, it is kind of gross already and I normally get about 4 days out of it.
I hose down the duck yard (was the dog yard) about daily. It's pea gravel and they don't spend tons of time in there, but it is under our bedroom window, so it get's hosed - though we just closed the windows 2 days ago to turn on the AC, so not as much of an issue, but still, under our windows and right next to the deck.
They don't eat too much food. I think a 50 pound bag of feed lasts me 6-8 weeks. They spend most of the day out searching the yard for yummy things to eat. Napping in the shade. Napping by the garden pool. Chasing bugs. Yelling at me that it is past their snack time.
I typically get 2 eggs a day and sometimes a 3rd soft shelled one that one of the dogs will eat.
I have a little pool next to our veggie garden and the ducks are kind enough to hop in and poop in it - giving me free fertilizer for the garden. I have to water the garden anyway, so I just fill the pool, let the ducks have their fun and use that water to water the garden. Garden is growing great.
We have about 4.5 acres fenced. They still sneak out into the non fenced area and think it is great when they manage to do so. I don't agree. Too many loose dogs and other things around for them to be outside the fence. But in the back yard, they stick to the close 1/2 acre near the house or so. Took them a while to get brave enough to do what they cover now without having me with them, but they are fearless bug chasers now!
I love having them around. Even if DH isn't so thrilled with them. I haven't bought eggs since last year

I had pekins before I was 7, so don't remember much about those. I now have 3 runners. They are little comedians with feathers. I told DH before we moved here that I wanted ducks, so while sitting in our hotel room when we flew down to try to close on the house, I was researching ducks. Yep, still wanted them. Showed a few to DH and he thought the runners looked cool and sounded rather neat. We moved down a month later and about 3.5 months later, I ordered my ducklings. DH came home when they were about 4 weeks old and missed the super fun parts of their growing up. I had them outside from day 1 - August in southern AL, plenty warm for them. I would bring them in every day to run around in the master bath so the dogs could see them, but not get to them. After a week, their play time ended with tub time, dry off and then back out in their kennel on the patio to finish drying. With them outside, I didn't notice as much how messy brooding can be - was nothing a hose couldn't take care of

I'd like to do it again this summer and think I have DH on board for a couple more (which will likely be another 3), but need to get the new dog introduced and going well with the existing 3 girls before bringing in more peeping toys.
They can be noisy, especially when the new dog gets too close (which is now about 15 feet instead of 50 feet). They are stinky little devils. I'm not looking forward to cleaning their duck house all summer. It's nasty each morning as it is since it just isn't getting cool at night anymore. I cleaned out their big pool 2 days ago and after spending most of yesterday it, it is kind of gross already and I normally get about 4 days out of it.
I hose down the duck yard (was the dog yard) about daily. It's pea gravel and they don't spend tons of time in there, but it is under our bedroom window, so it get's hosed - though we just closed the windows 2 days ago to turn on the AC, so not as much of an issue, but still, under our windows and right next to the deck.
They don't eat too much food. I think a 50 pound bag of feed lasts me 6-8 weeks. They spend most of the day out searching the yard for yummy things to eat. Napping in the shade. Napping by the garden pool. Chasing bugs. Yelling at me that it is past their snack time.
I typically get 2 eggs a day and sometimes a 3rd soft shelled one that one of the dogs will eat.
I have a little pool next to our veggie garden and the ducks are kind enough to hop in and poop in it - giving me free fertilizer for the garden. I have to water the garden anyway, so I just fill the pool, let the ducks have their fun and use that water to water the garden. Garden is growing great.
We have about 4.5 acres fenced. They still sneak out into the non fenced area and think it is great when they manage to do so. I don't agree. Too many loose dogs and other things around for them to be outside the fence. But in the back yard, they stick to the close 1/2 acre near the house or so. Took them a while to get brave enough to do what they cover now without having me with them, but they are fearless bug chasers now!
I love having them around. Even if DH isn't so thrilled with them. I haven't bought eggs since last year
