What Breed of Duck!

[MagpieDucks]

Hi there I'm going to be getting ducks this spring and I have been having a really hard time deciding on a breed for my standard breeding pen. My choices are: Magpie, Buff, Rouen, Silver Appleyard, Muscovy, Campbell, Swedish, Welsh Harlequin, Saxony, Cayuga, Crested, Aylesbury, Pekin, and Runner. You can see why I have a hard time deciding I kind of want a critically endangered breed.(Aylesbury, Saxony, Silver Appleyard, Magpe, Welsh Harlequin) Thanks for any help!!

 

[BelValleyDaisy]

HI,
Are they as pets?
How many are you thinking of getting?
When you do get them and you have white ones and darker ones make sure they are the same age and brought up together because sometimes the darker ones see white ones eyes as food. Will you be getting different breeds or some of the same? If you were to get runner and something like rouhen will there be a drake? sometimes drakes which aren't runner will bully runners because they can't mount them because of their long neck and body. If you have a large space i would recomment runner ducks, they love running. But if your area isn't all that big but you have a massive pond i would recommend rouhen or aylesbury. i myself have a rouhen and a runner and when we first got them i had a rouhen drake and he bullied the runner because he couldn't mount her.
Hope i helped her

 

[keesmom]

There is a duck forum, so you may want to have this thread moved there where duck people are more likely to see it.

Are you looking for a particular size duck? Light, medium or heavy breed? Are you looking for good egg production, meat or dual purpose? Here is Holderread's page on selection tips.

http://holderreadfarm.com/selection_tips_page/selection_tips.htm

And Metzer Farms

http://www.metzerfarms.com/DuckBreedComparison.cfm?CustID=7811470

 

[MagpieDucks]

HI,
Are they as pets?
How many are you thinking of getting?
When you do get them and you have white ones and darker ones make sure they are the same age and brought up together because sometimes the darker ones see white ones eyes as food. Will you be getting different breeds or some of the same? If you were to get runner and something like rouhen will there be a drake? sometimes drakes which aren't runner will bully runners because they can't mount them because of their long neck and body. If you have a large space i would recomment runner ducks, they love running. But if your area isn't all that big but you have a massive pond i would recommend rouhen or aylesbury. i myself have a rouhen and a runner and when we first got them i had a rouhen drake and he bullied the runner because he couldn't mount her.
Hope i helped her

HI,
Are they as pets?
Exhibition and Eggs

How many are you thinking of getting?
2 white call drakes, 3 white call hens, and the same for the other breed.

When you do get them and you have white ones and darker ones make sure they are the same age and brought up together because sometimes the darker ones see white ones eyes as food.
Will you be getting different breeds or some of the same?
If you were to get runner and something like rouhen will there be a drake? sometimes drakes which aren't runner will bully runners because they can't mount them because of their long neck and body. If you have a large space i would recomment runner ducks, they love running. But if your area isn't all that big but you have a massive pond i would recommend rouhen or aylesbury.
i myself have a rouhen and a runner and when we first got them i had a rouhen drake and he bullied the runner because he couldn't mount her
It will be fairly big with a kiddie pool as a pond about once a day for the calls, and a pool in the pen for the others.

Hope i helped her

 

[BelValleyDaisy]

Hi.
Well that should go well then. I've heard Aylesbury lay really well but so do rouhen

 

[quackingdom]

(I posted on both threads.)

By the way, 2 drakes to 3 females can be a rather high ratio. You'd be safer with only one drake.

If you're looking for eggs, you might not want to choose Rouens, Muscovies, or Alyesburies. They only lay 35-125 eggs a year. Campbells will lay up to 320 eggs a year. Runners, Appleyards, and Harlequins are also excellent layers.

This might help:
Duck Breed List, Information, and Pictures: http://www.raising-ducks.com/getting-started/duck-breeds/
Detailed discussion on the Muscovy duck: http://www.raising-ducks.com/getting-started/duck-breeds/
How To Choose a Duck Breed: http://www.raising-ducks.com/getting-started/choosing-breed/
(Includes a chart showing size, utility, weight, eggs, popularity, flying capability, foraging capability, and mothering capability.)

 

[MagpieDucks]

I ordered 8 Black Magpies!