What breed of duck to get???

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
Your East Indies are beautiful!!!!!!!

 

[Rosecomb-Ryan]

Thank you Silkys tend to be a little bigger than Indies. From Holderreads Adults you can order as less as 1 but for babies I believe its 8 if they sell silky ducklings. I know they dont sell Indie duckling only adults.

 

[rainplace]

Here's their summer adult sales list:

http://www.holderreadfarm.com/Fall_2008_adult_sales_list/Fall_2008_adult_sales_list_page.htm

the different prices have to do with quality of bird. For adults you can order as little as a single drake, or you can order pairs.

Edited to add: They are taking orders for spring hatchlings. But you get an assortment of colors.

http://holderreadfarm.com/duckling_price_list_page/duckling_price_page.htm

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Is it harder to raise adult indies? Will they have a tendency to fly off? I was going to get a pair of minature appleyards that were a year but was afraid they would fly off once we got them here. Wouldn't the indies do the same?

 

[rainplace]

I don't anything about indies, but my female silky can sorta fly. She can get enough lift to go over my head and over the fence. The one time she went over the fence, she freaked out and spent the next hour trying to find her way back in. Her drake was inside the fence and she doesn't like being separated from him. I just made a big opening and stepped back waiting for to find it. She did and she's never gone over again.

 

[CityChicker]

If you are interested in bantam breeds and it is important to you that they be calm and make good pets, I would not go with East Indies. In my experience, Mini Appleyards and Australian Spotteds are *far* more friendly. If you want something strikingly beautiful, BEI are a good choice though. I guess it depends on which is more important.

Of course, I'm sure there are exceptions and all that. My first bantams though were an assortment from Holderread's several years ago and the BEI were the least friendly of the group. The Mini Appleyards were so friendly they would crawl all over you getting into your lap for attention. They have always been my favorites ever since (I love the Aussies too). I have never had BEI since that first group, so I am not sure if they typically are as nervous as mine were.

I have also heard that Calls make great pets, but I don't keep those so I can't speak from personal experience.

 

[kawonu]

We have Blue Swedish, Buff, Black Indian Runners, and many many calls. Both of my kids show the calls. We have 54 calls right now. They never fly away...in fact we only have 2 drakes that fly at all, and they only fly about 20 feet. They are small and easy to handle for the kids. The larger ducks are a little harder for the kids to control during showmanship. Whatever you get stick with something that is in the Standard of Perfection so they can win against other breeds. Calls are about the only ones I've seen win against other waterfowl and even chickens. Our Indian Runners have won waterfowl classes but never above that.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
Do you have any pics of your australian spotteds?

 

[CityChicker]

I can try to take some over the weekend. There are several good pictures on Holderread's site too which is where almost all of my birds have come from.

http://holderreadfarm.com/photogallery/australian_spotted_page/australian_spotted_page.htm

 

[redroosta]

1 word, muscovies. Certainly unique and can't really fly and will bond to you if you spend time with them.