Tractor supply ducklings

[Tevyes Dad]

Pekin and WH from Metzer - excellent. That way you can get them sexed as you choose. Both my Pekin and WH came from Metzer. The Pekin is quite smart has a LOT of personality and never quacks - she peeped super loud as a duckling, but now she mostly mutters and honks

. The WH is SO mellow you could probably get her to hold a board (by standing on it) while you were using power tools on it. (not that I would actually do this). Metzer's ducks are bred for production (meat and eggs); and they have a chart that shows the "show quality ratings" they have received on their ducks. Most of them are so-so (as would be expected since they aren't bred for show.) But the WH is actually rated pretty high. And mine is BEAUTIFUL so I believe it. Getting two ducklings by mail is pretty expensive, but the cost of the ducklings is such a minor expense compared to food over time, housing, etc. I would do it. (In fact I did, our last two ducklings were from Metzer and although they cost half as much as the 11 we ordered before, it was worth it because we got what we wanted and were able to get them sexed.)

 

[MothrCluckr81]

Pekin and WH from Metzer - excellent.  That way you can get them sexed as you choose. Both my Pekin and WH came from Metzer.  The Pekin is quite smart has a LOT of personality and never quacks - she peeped super loud as a duckling, but now she mostly mutters and honks .  The WH is SO mellow you could probably get her to hold a board (by standing on it) while you were using power tools on it. (not that I would actually do this).  Metzer's ducks are bred for production (meat and eggs); and they have a chart that shows the "show quality ratings" they have received on their ducks.  Most of them are so-so (as would be expected since they aren't bred for show.) But the WH is actually rated pretty high.  And mine is BEAUTIFUL so I believe it.  Getting two ducklings by mail is pretty expensive, but the cost of the ducklings is such a minor expense compared to food over time, housing, etc. I would do it. (In fact I did, our last two ducklings were from Metzer and although  they cost half as much as the 11 we ordered before, it was worth it because we got what we wanted and were able to get them sexed.) 

Perfect! I'm so glad to hear that. I looked over the Metzer website and I love that they offer so much information about the breeds that they have (the WH got a 'very calm' rating, as did the Pekin, so I loved seeing that!) as well as offering so much information on their care, feeding, housing, etc.
I am doing as much research as I possibly can, and I think I'm going to place my order, for 1 WH female and 1 Pekin female. The ship date shows to be around March 2nd, so plenty of time to get everything needed together! I'm so excited! Thank you for y'alls help, I love getting real-world help and answers from people who are or have been there.
I was showing my husband pics and videos of the ducks that I'd like to get, and I think he's totally 'for it'! He was just as 'in awe' as I was, of the cuteness of the little Pekin waddling through the house or the WH swimming in the baby pool. YAYYY!!!

 

[Sfraker]

My WH came from Metzers. I am very happy with them

I made it to Tractor Supply, got my calcium and some meal worms without buying any ducklings.
They have 100 Khaki Campbell ducklings!!! I stood and watched them for a long time.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

Just keep in mind, 9 out of 10 predators think ducks are more tasty than chickens. So once you get these guys outside, they need a fortress (With only 2 ducks, it can be a small fortress but a fortress none-the-less). Go through this forum:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/13/predators-and-pests

For ideas of what works and what doesn't.

I had two adult ducks in my fenced back yard for 3/4 of a year and not only did I not have a problem, but I had checked my back yard frequently with IR security cams at all different times through the night. There was never anything there. The first night I left my mostly feathered ducklings overnight in a locked bared gazebo, a pair of raccoons came to visit and killed two of the ducklings pulling them through the bars. There is no undoing that. It is almost a year later and we still mourn them. Details of this and everything we did raising our ducks is in the book in my signature block. It has lots of duckling pictures in it and will show you some of the things we did right and some of the things we did wrong. We love our duckies and we still don't have everything as secure as I would like but we are at 90% and we hope that we will be lucky enough to be at 100% before we suffer another loss. If my plans for this Summer work out, they will be ready to face anything except maybe a really persistent grizzly with a high pain tolerance.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

My WH came from Metzers. I am very happy with them

I made it to Tractor Supply, got my calcium and some meal worms without buying any ducklings.
They have 100 Khaki Campbell ducklings!!! I stood and watched them for a long time.

I knew there was a reason why they were so pretty

I am proud of you. You looked at all the ducklings and of course decided that if you took 1, it would be lonely in the brooder so you should take 2... maybe 3 in case something happens to one after TS stops carrying them. But the 2 might pair up and the third would be lonely so you should just get 4 to be safe. But how would you ever select your favorite 4 especially with them running around so you lose track of them. OK, you could just take the whole lot of them and you would be happy. But in 8 weeks you would have 100 Khaki Campbell Ducks...

Better leave them be

 

[Amiga]

 

[Miss Lydia]

I knew there was a reason why they were so pretty

I am proud of you. You looked at all the ducklings and of course decided that if you took 1, it would be lonely in the brooder so you should take 2... maybe 3 in case something happens to one after TS stops carrying them. But the 2 might pair up and the third would be lonely so you should just get 4 to be safe. But how would you ever select your favorite 4 especially with them running around so you lose track of them. OK, you could just take the whole lot of them and you would be happy. But in 8 weeks you would have 100 Khaki Campbell Ducks...

Better leave them be

Love that duck math

 

[RichnSteph]

Ever notice those poor ducklings are always wet and dirty and really don't appear to be warm enough in those metal water troughs. I always feel so bad for them.

Oh thanks for nothing..... I'm going by TS on the way home to find a friend for our Cayuga.



Totally your fault sourland.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

I got my 2 KC drakes from TSC they are fine looking ducks but I really did not want two drakes. since then I ordered the rest from Metzer farms. they vent sex so I know what I am getting. we won't have chicks and ducks at TSC until April. I will have to glue my hands in my pockets during that time.