What’s your favorite duck breed? Why?

[HeatherKellyB]

But not at 5am when she came on a sleepover!!

"Hey Grandma! Hey! Good morning! Time to wake up! Wake wakey, eggs and bakey! Don't you love waking up to me, Grandma? I'm awake if you wanna come and hang out, just saying." says MopHead

 

[Quarterhorses1]

We didn't know Mop Head was a crested when my son got her -- we actually thought that her face down hadn't come in fully and that the top of her head was normal down. It was a week before we realized there was something different about the top of her head and looked it up. She did a couple of times lose her crest feathers during mating with Big Boy and I was very worried about her. But she wasn't bothered and carried on inveigling Big Boy into mounting her. She is currently trying that on with Huey, but Huey is to juvenile to know what to do!! I have seen another drake with Ping's crest feathers in his bill on one occasion. I was out in the back yard with them in a shot and the offending drake was told off in no uncertain terms. Both my muscovy drakes quickly learned that I don't like them fighting with the pekins and I don't think Ping's crest is at risk any more. When he really annoys the muscovies, he gets a wing pecked but there is no fighting.

Mop Head is a delight. She is the alpha duck in my son's flock

Oh my gosh she’s so freaking adorable I cant

 

[addctd2plnts]

I've got: Penciled Indian Runners, White Indian Runners, Cayugas, Pekins, Call Ducks, Australian Spotted, Snowy Mallards, East Indies Ducks

My favorites are my Penciled Indian Runners and Call Ducks, although if I had raised the Cayugas I think they might also be a tie for 2nd place with the Call Ducks. The Indian Runners are the Thee Stooges of the duck world and you absolutely cannot stay in a bad mood watching them. They are great foragers. They don't have the problems with overmating that other breeds do, even though I have as many males as females. Mine are almost annoying friendly and would follow me everywhere if I let them.

The Call Ducks are also very friendly, considering I didn't raise them and they came to me completely unhandled. The white ones seem to be the most friendly.

My Cayugas are calm. They aren't super friendly but weren't raised by me and were bought from a show breeder. The poor females are so submissive that they get completely beaten up by the males if you don't give them vacations away from them.

My East Indies and Australian Spotted were not raised by me and are much more flighty, despite daily handling.

The Pekins eat so much and have so many health issues, I'd never keep them if I wasn't breeding to show. A pair easily eats as much as 10 Indian Runner Ducks!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I've got: Penciled Indian Runners, White Indian Runners, Cayugas, Pekins, Call Ducks, Australian Spotted, Snowy Mallards, East Indies Ducks

My favorites are my Penciled Indian Runners and Call Ducks, although if I had raised the Cayugas I think they might also be a tie for 2nd place with the Call Ducks. The Indian Runners are the Thee Stooges of the duck world and you absolutely cannot stay in a bad mood watching them. They are great foragers. They don't have the problems with overmating that other breeds do, even though I have as many males as females. Mine are almost annoying friendly and would follow me everywhere if I let them.

The Call Ducks are also very friendly, considering I didn't raise them and they came to me completely unhandled. The white ones seem to be the most friendly.

My Cayugas are calm. They aren't super friendly but weren't raised by me and were bought from a show breeder. The poor females are so submissive that they get completely beaten up by the males if you don't give them vacations away from them.

My East Indies and Australian Spotted were not raised by me and are much more flighty, despite daily handling.

The Pekins eat so much and have so many health issues, I'd never keep them if I wasn't breeding to show. A pair easily eats as much as 10 Indian Runner Ducks!

Wow! I never considered how much Pekins eat compared to other breeds. I love the breeds you have. My only Cayuga is a drake and he is an awesome drake but he doesn't like to be handled at all and will show you with bites. The last time my daughter was carrying him up to their run from the duck house, he grabbed her ear lobe and tried to rip it. She doesn't want anything else to do with him. He likes it that way

 

[Quatie]

Wow! I never considered how much Pekins eat compared to other breeds. I love the breeds you have. My only Cayuga is a drake and he is an awesome drake but he doesn't like to be handled at all and will show you with bites. The last time my daughter was carrying him up to their run from the duck house, he grabbed her ear lobe and tried to rip it. She doesn't want anything else to do with him. He likes it that way

I started with 6 Pekins and a Saxony. They ate a ton more as ducklings. I was constantly refilling their food tray and I didn't do that nearly as much with my other ducks when I raised them. When I put them outside I tried to give them access to food all the time. They ate soooo much food in about two days. It should have been enough food for a week or more, and they were only 5 weeks old. I seriously wanted to cry at first because they were going to eat me out of house and home. A few hours later they were put on a diet and we're rationed their food. I could definitely see them eating that much food, especially since they are not big foragers. Mine plops down in the grass and noodles with her beak in front of her. That is her idea of foraging.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I started with 6 Pekins and a Saxony. They ate a ton more as ducklings. I was constantly refilling their food tray and I didn't do that nearly as much with my other ducks when I raised them. When I put them outside I tried to give them access to food all the time. They ate soooo much food in about two days. It should have been enough food for a week or more, and they were only 5 weeks old. I seriously wanted to cry at first because they were going to eat me out of house and home. A few hours later they were put on a diet and we're rationed their food. I could definitely see them eating that much food, especially since they are not big foragers. Mine plops down in the grass and noodles with her beak in front of her. That is her idea of foraging.

Oh my goodness This is hilarious and so Honey Boo Boo She does get excited and will follow me around for minnows, crickets, and worms But yeah, otherwise it's like Pekins are full time retirees

 

[Quatie]

Oh my goodness This is hilarious and so Honey Boo Boo She does get excited and will follow me around for minnows, crickets, and worms But yeah, otherwise it's like Pekins are full time retirees

They do get excited about treats . If I bring out the mealworm bucket, she will suddenly become the fastest duck I have . And the poor ducks in between her and the bucket, she just plows them over.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

They do get excited about treats . If I bring out the mealworm bucket, she will suddenly become the fastest duck I have . And the poor ducks in between her and the bucket, she just plows them over.

I think you have Honey Boo Boo's twin. It's crazy how much it sounds like you're describing her I say they're like retirees but honestly, a better description would be "retired retirees". Every night I fish minnows from the pond. This is the part of the day that Honey BooBoo and Tom (my Buff Duck with a masculine name ) live for. Sadly Tom doesn't get many chances with Miss Piggy (aka Honey BooBoo) around. She's like a brand new duck with lightning speed plowing around She can also be a bit aggressive with sweet little Tom. She gets sooo angry if Tom gets a minnow and she will chase her around trying to steal it from her and bite her for daring to eat *A* minnow compared to her 10, all the while there are other minnows swimming around in the bowl So she actually goes from retired retiree to a stingy toddler throwing a temper tantrum because she HAD to share Life with ducks is so much fun! This is just about the Pekins

 

[ruthhope]

"Hey Grandma! Hey! Good morning! Time to wake up! Wake wakey, eggs and bakey! Don't you love waking up to me, Grandma? I'm awake if you wanna come and hang out, just saying." says MopHead

The day that I recorded her -- she was on a stopover sleeping in my florida room and I was in bed hence no video -- she laid me an egg. My reward for not scolding her, I suppose!!

 

[ruthhope]

CoriM I think you are doing all you can for your girls legs. Its sad that some ducks get leg problems even with the best care in the world -- I suspect any wild ducks with leg problems do not last long because they are so vulnerable to predators.

Are you able to encourage the two to spend extra time swimming? My kiddie pools are not deep eenough for full grown ducks to swim, but even playing and splashing in the water gives some exercise without the weight on the leg joints. I have one deep water tub -- because my pekin with the deformed bill cannot clean his vent area properly and the dirty feathers are not in the water when he is stood in the kiddie pool. If I get a rescued duck with leg problems, they go in my bath in the house to swim until they are well and able to be released or rehomed. If my own ducks start having problems, I think I will invest in a stock tank.
I have looked at the aluminium ones at TSC and they are pricy so I am watching craig's list and waiting for now. when I need one for a duck I will advertise to see if anyone has one for sale [or to give away: you never know my luck!] But if I have to buy one new, I have decided to get a molded rubber one as they are much cheaper:

https://nrsworld.com/products/tuff-stuff-kormex-heavy-duty-140-gallon-oval-stock-tank?variant=39419561410699&msclkid=d8733d8e5fd21c2c575d5f4f87c94092&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=BPA - Items - Farm and Ranch&utm_term=4585169649869629&utm_content=BPA Item - Farm and Ranch|Tuff Stuff Products|C:80