To heck w/ chickens...

[toletiquesbysam]

You guys have me thinking about ducks now, I will still get my chickens but I'm thinking 3 ducks as well. Should I just get all female then, I won't need fertile eggs so just getting the female would satisfy my household.
They are too cute!!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
If they don't need to be fertile (for hatching) then yeah, I'd get three girls. You may as well maximize the egg laying

meri

 

[KsTornado11]

The only downside I have found w/ ducks s brooding the babies,they are SO much messier than chicks!!

But I learned to get a heavy coffe mug for water,that way they can get their whole beak in it & slush around,& don't make quite as big of a mess. My guys will answer me if I open the door & holler "Duck duck duck!" out the door,the gals will quack back to let me know where they are. And will come if out free ranging,& bill me for treats!

Pics:

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
Pretty babies!!!

I have a milk jug with two huge holes cut out of it on two sides, so they can get their heads (and bodies, it seems) into it to drink, but it cuts down on the splashing (slightly

)

They've been here for all of 4 hours and I've already changed the water three times. It's a good thing I'm retired and can stay home and babysit ducklings all day

In the "hatchery" room (used to be my sewing room) I have the 21 ducklings in a playpen, three - one month old chicks, and 8 four day old chicks, and the button quail tank.

Plus I have three bators going full of eggs.

I'm such a sucker for babies. (well, one bator is just buttons, the other two are mixed chicken and button eggs).

meri

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

That is the only downside to ducks is when they are babies they are super messy. They can make a brooder stink in a couple days with all the water and food mush.

 

[imfowl]

I have 2 white crested, and they are awesome. They say to expect 300 eggs a year out of them, but id say more like 365. Mine have never missed a day since they started laying. The eggs are huge, and I have never noticed a difference in taste or texture from chicken eggs. They are way more messy than chickens, though, and make mudholes EVERYWHERE! They also dont like as much human interaction as chickens. They will do whatever it takes to get away from you. I have found that if I put the waterer on the outside of the run fence so they have to stick their heads through to drink, they cant make as much of a mess.