What breeds would be good for me?

[cmlew99]

Hello! So I've had this crazy idea that adding two or three ducks to my backyard might be fun. It is still just an idea, probably never happening. But I was wondering if someone could tell me if there are any breeds that match my needs.I have four chickens currently. I read that you shouldn't let them live together? Is that true?

I have this A-Frame coop that I could move around my yard and let them eat the grass underneath/have some supervised free range time.

• I have close neighbors, so relatively quiet. I can't have any loud quacking or squawking
• Cold hardy
• Docile and friendly

 

[Pyxis]

If you need quiet, I would suggest muscovies. They are very quiet ducks. They are also cold hardy and mine were very docile and friendly. The drakes can get huge claws though so you have to be careful of that while handling them. My welsh harlequins are also very docile and friendly and cold hardy but the females can quack up a storm when they get excited, like if they see me entering the yard. Females of most duck breeds can be pretty loud. Muscovies are the quietest, which is why I suggest them.

 

[Kaessa]

I second Muscovies. They were my original breed choice just because they were so quiet. I wound up going with different breeds, though, because my neighbors really don't mind the noise.

Also, all of my girls are quackers. Not all the time, but sometimes they get themselves into a bit of an uproar over something and they can get loud. I don't think they're obnoxiously loud, but my neighbors definitely know I have ducks.

 

[cmlew99]

Thank you both for your responses! I was thinking Muscovies might be a good idea too. Do either of you have or have you had Cayugas? If you have/had are they especially noisy? They are so adorable, I wish I could get some

 

[Kaessa]

I have one Cayuga, and she's not quite six weeks old, but she IS the quietest of my ducks. But that's not saying much, they can all get pretty noisy when they start up.

 

[cmlew99]

Okay thanks! And are there sexed ducklings? Or is it just a "wait and see" type of thing?

 

[Pyxis]

Okay thanks! And are there sexed ducklings? Or is it just a "wait and see" type of thing?

You can order sexed ducklings You might have a hard time finding sexed muscovies though, I don't think I've seen a hatchery that sells them sexed.

 

[cmlew99]

Okay, thank you so much. If i do decide to get them, I have no idea where I'd find them- all the hatcheries I've seen sell a minimum of 6 :/

 

[Pyxis]

Try your local craigslist and you'll probably have luck. A lot of people have been hatching ducklings already this year and in my area I've seen muscovy ducklings for sale already