welsh harlequin

[crittergarden]

So I DO need to supply a nest box for each Welsh Harlequin duck?
I was only planning on chickens until someone recommended ducks for slug control - and I heard the WH were fairly quiet, for ducks.
I understand that I can keep them together with chickens, but I'm unclear on what I need to do to make them happy....

 

[Dances with Ducks]

You don't need a nest box for each one, they prefer to share, you'll find the eggs all clustered together. If you give them a wooden egg in the box it helps them get the idea of where to lay.
As far as raising them with chickens I know people do, but I don't so can't tell you too much. I have seen discussion on some threads about the difference in water maintenance. If you allow the ducks access to water overnight in a coop you will have a mess unless you have enough room to set up an area with drainage around it. You also can keep the ducks outside at night as long as they have good predator protection and some degree of protection from severe weather. They can handle the weather better than chickens.

 

[crittergarden]

Some very helpful details there, Dances!

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Thanks Critter.
I have to say that on winter nights I think I would consider keeping them in separate houses, or areas of a barn, rather than always leaving the ducks out, depending on what the climate is like where you live. Even though they can survive the cold better than chickens ducks do lay better if they don't have to deal with severe cold all night, and their feet can get frost bite. I just bought a drake a few days ago and the front edges of his webbing are blackened by frostbite. He lived at a bit of altitude in the Colorado foothills so maybe his circumstances were more extreme than most.
In the heat of the summer ducks will lay best if they have good ventilation and can drink a little water at night, or if they are not kept away from water for too many hours, Holderread recommends no more than nine hours or it can affect laying.
Also ducks in the same coop as chickens might need some sort of "poop guard" under the chickens roosting areas.
In terms of behavior problems, the worst thing I've heard of are drakes who are raised apart from other ducks and so don't know what species he is. If he goes after a chicken hen he can damage her because thier anatomy doesn't match up. Also when chicks hatch, or ducklings for that matter, ducks often attack those that aren't their own. Best to set up separate housing if you are hatching new broods. Thats not just ducks though, you can get that with chickens too. A farmer I know even had to separate a brood of chicks from their own mother because she was killing them.

 

[crittergarden]

MORE good details! Thanks for telling me all this stuff.
I'm a city dweller and will have to keep my "flock" limited to 5.
So I'm not planning on getting any males.
The minimum order for chicks seems to be 3.
Add a couple of ducks for slug control in the garden and I'll be at capacity.

It does get cold here.
I plan to build my own coop, desogn it for passive solar heat, and supplement that with a heat lamp.
Perhaps if I put the chickens' nest boxes up high and one down lower for the ducks....

D0 you cook with duck eggs just like chicken eggs?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

People use duck eggs the same as chicken, there are only slight differences you may notice. Duck eggs are one of professional baker's secrets because they make cakes and such come out fluffier because of the more concentrated protein. I find they don't work as well for omelets just because they cook up a bit dryer, but folks recommend putting a little water or milk in to make up for that. Hubby uses them everyday for omelets.
Since I started hatching so many ducklings, I just can't eat them anymore unless they are in foods that disguise their eggy-ness pretty well. I mostly use them in casseroles and potato lattkas. I also like to stretch the pet food budget by feeding the cat and dog boiled eggs, although my dog gets gas from chicken egg but duck eggs are no problem for her. They get any unfertilized eggs that come out of the incubator after a week, then I boil them. Hate to waste good protein. My Welsh Harlequin drake had a - - welll sort of a- - - a fertility problem, so we have an abundance of boiled eggs with X and O on them in the fridge right now.

 

[crittergarden]

Oh, poor boy.

VERY glad to know about the baking.
I need all the baking secrets I can get!

Got any more ducky experience to share with this beginner?

 

[PtJudeRI]

As far as omlettes and such, Adding some chickem broth (or Duck Stock if you have any) will really enhance the flavor and provide the moisture you are looking for. It sounds odd, but give it a shot. One egg, scrambled, with 2tbsp. of stock (or so), salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Voila!

 

[PtJudeRI]

Here are some shots of my critters. The big guy is a Highland Ox, and he does one hell of a job keeping any undesirables out of the barnyard. I have seen him chase off raccoons, coyotes and I heard a tussle that may have been a fisher cat. All in all, he is a great guy to have around.

At a week old in the Brooder.



4 Weeks or so, Just heading to a small outdoor enclosure


First Time in the water. A small cement tub from Home Depot.


Enjoying the larger 1/3 acre enclosure I repurposed for them


New Pool, new Fun!



Bullwinkle, the Superintendant of the Barnyard.