Urban ducks?

[Haunted55]

I keep ducks and have no problems. They are definitely flock animals although we did once keep one in a studio apartment. (Long story... It didn't end well.) As for keeping a flock in an urban environment; I don't think it's a great idea. Unlike chickens, ducks sometimes like to party at night and they can be loud.

LOL!!!! Oh yeah they do! Glad someone else has seen this. [edited for spelling]

 

[conny63malies]

I had illegal urban ducks, a few muscovies. I kept there wings clipped and they never flew away. Well one took a flyover the neighborhood once or twice. If you get them as ducklings have the hatchery remove part of their wings , if you worry about ducks flying away.

 

[Going Quackers]

I'm rural but i think for my own experience what worries me is the mess, i have chickens so i can see how they could settle into an urban environment, as generally they are not that noisy well no worse than a dog or a neighbours lawn mower lol and the mess is pretty easy to contain.

Ducks OTOH, the water and the mud created would involve some space and consideration, obviously a pair would not create the mess a flock nearing the twenties does(which is what i have had before) but it's still a concern that shouldn't be, er ignored? it would take some good planning and consistent housekeeping in a small urban area.

I would also ensure they are legal, no sense committing to an animal that you maybe forced to be rid of.

 

[jdywntr]

I had ducks in the suburbs before we moved. Let me ammend that. I had ducks illegally in the suburbs. I started with 5 hens. Then I really wanted to get ducklings. I got Runners. Loud. For the suburbs. I never heard my neighbors comment about the chickens but the ducks, I'd hear them talking over the fence. I eventually got Muscovy, partly due to noise, partly because I wanted a meat bird.

Most of my neighbors knew that I had birds and didn't care. The comments I heard were from new neighbors. Since my ducks were illegal (and are almost everywhere in the suburbs because they are considered livestock), I knew I would have no recourse if I was reported.

My duck run was 15'x20' and included a covered windbreak (I was living in FL so no real cold) and I let them out into the yard during the day. My ducks were happy but I had to set things up in the yard so that they would not have a long take off ramp. They would start running and flapping across the yard trying to get air. I lay down a 10' ladder to break up their path. The muscovy loved to roost on it.

Looking back on it now that I have birds with much more room I don't know if I'd do it again in the suburbs. My chickens had basically turned my backyard into a sand pit, no vegetation below 2'. The ducks were great at catching flies and I'd provide fresh greens and veggies. But there is nothing like being able to watch your birds roaming about and swimming in the creek.

 

[DenverDucky]

I have a suburban duck... But I keep her indoors! No noise, no mess, no neighbors mad about either of those two plus they still get gifts of duck eggs