To breed or not to breed

[ben is a terror]

I was thinking of breeding ducks to supplement my income. I will start small with one breed. I've narrowed it down to welch harlequins or muscovys by looking at craigslist and calling local places around here where you can buy ducks. What do you think? I will let them breed on there own no incubator. I know you can sell ducklings in the spring but what about the rest of the year. If the drakes happen to mate with another breed is there any way to tell the eggs apart.Does each breed have a different size shape or color of egg? Right now I have 1 runner hen I hope she is only about a week old and 2 3 1/2 week old muscovys no idea what sex.
Thank you for your input.

 

[jasonm11]

Like any other animal, make sure you can and will commit to them before buying the brood stock. Realise you will not make any money in the beginning unless you have no cash outlay for housing and set up. You can lose every dime you have if the animals get sick and require treatment and they will have issues no matter how careful you are. That being said if you are careful and enjoy the animals then you come out a winner if you happen to sell a few here and there.

 

[ben is a terror]

I already working on a nice duck set up for my ducks now. I also have 14 chickens no breeding I'm not allowed to have roos. Is really love my ducks. How much extra work does it take aside from day to day care of a normal flock. I don't want to start something that would cause my poultry family to feel neglected. Do you breed? I was going to start with one male and three females. These would be part of the family also I was planning on adding a few ducks anyway but I don't want to let them breed if I can't get rid of the babies. I would then get only one sex.
Any other thoughts?