I am thinking of investing more in ducks this spring! Reasons being,my ducks are outlaying my pullets like crazy! I love the larger eggs,ducks are much more cold hardy,ducklings grow much faster than chicks,and I have NEVER lost a duck due to sickness like I have chickens! I have 3 full cartons of duck eggs in the fridge ( I have 4 ducks & 2 drakes,and 5 pullets - 2 EEs,2 Buff Orps,1 Speckled Sussex, 3 banties) and only half a carton of chicken eggs. Oh, my ducks are a pair of Rouens,3 Ancona ducks & 1 crested Cayuga drake.
I love my blue swedish. You can get every color under the sun from white to black by mixing them and they lay huge eggs on a consistent everyday. They are also pretty quiet, docile, and just nice to have around. I had ducks before I had chickens and I've always liked them a little better.
Yup, I found this out the hard way as well. This spring we're seriously downsizing our chicken flock and getting more ducks. When it's cold outside my chickens stop laying eggs and won't leave the coop. Meanwhile my ducks are outside sleeping on the snowbanks. It's tough to beat a Khaki Campbell in terms of egg laying. Welsh Harlequins come close, and Runners are also good egg layers.
Quote:I am absolutely dying here, Smartie_Pants. I have 20 Blue Swedish ordered from Ideal, they shipped yesterday. I am so nervous about the cold and shipping, and I am so obsessed with getting them HERE so I can play with baby duckies!!! The reason I chose the Blues is because of the variety of hatchlings - I can't wait to see what I get. Do you eat the eggs? I hear they taste stronger than chicken eggs. Sorry if I hijacked the thread here, I am just obsessing and waiting on my blues and I am reading everything I can to keep me from calling the post office (again ) What do you (anyone) do while waiting for duckies (or chickies) to come in the mail???? I've never done the mail order ducks or chicks before. I have 5 Call Ducks (haven't had them for very long) and I am already in love with ducks. I am ordering a trio of Toulouse goslings for March delivery too. (am ordering from Metzers). meri
I have runner ducks. They lay very nicely and are comical to boot. I have a couple egg customers that will only buy duck eggs because they prefer the taste. I don't really notice a taste difference but my taste buds aren't that refined.