What ducks would be recomended for urban areas

[ChristineR]

I would say getting ducks or geese is probably not a good idea in your situation. They would have a 10' x 15' area destroyed in no time. You would have bare dirt in the summer and a mud hole in the winter.

Have you looked into getting a couple bantam chicken hens (I don't remember if you had a reason for getting ducks instead of chickens)? I have tiny Serama chickens and they make great pets, especially for kids. They generally weigh less than 1 lb and are easily tamed and easy to handle. I am not really a chicken person as much as a waterfowl person (love my ducks and geese) - I got the Seramas for my daughter - but I've really fallen in love with them.

Here are a couple pics of my Seramas. They come in every color imaginable. I wish there was something (other than that dandelion) in the pictures for scale. That black & white mottled hen is only about as tall as a pop can.

I would only want to have the ducks as a pet. I don't really want to annoy the neighbors because I don't want them to feel like they are stuck next to a farm. I am sure their children would not get annoyed, but the adults may. Here in ny, our house is only about 7 feet away from our neighbors. Is that too little? I would strongly say our backyard is about 10 feet wide and 15 feet long. I guess I could open my options to having larger ducks or geese but then I can only have 1 or 2 maximum (which I don't mind). Our area is called Bayside Queens which is a pretty suburban area compared to other areas. We are only 45 minutes away from manhattan by car.

 

[DB_Tex]

If you have your heart set on ducks, I would pick a pretty pair of female muscovies. They are very puppy dog-like, quiet, come in lots of colors, and not too big. If you're going to keep them inside the house, and let them out in the back yard for playing they won't trash it to badly either.

 

[jdywntr]

I would have to agree with ChristineR. I don't think that ducks are a very good idea for your situation. With only a 10X15' yard, it would end up a mucky mess even with just one or two ducks. (they poop A LOT).

Again, I'm in the suburbs but my duck run is 10X15 and they have access to the rest of the yard, about 60X25' unless I'm going to be home really late.

 

[Mum]

Gorgeous bantams, ChristineR

 

[Oregon Blues]

2 serema hens is a good suggestion.

If you have young children, be aware that if you get a pair of ducks that mating involves rough play and it goes on virtually non-stop. Some parents don't want to have to explain to their children what is going on.

Drakes raised as pets can develop behavior issues because they have confused identities. That sometimes evolves into attacking people, So, I do not think that drakes are a good choice as pets for young children.

 

[ChristineR]

I would have to agree with ChristineR. I don't think that ducks are a very good idea for your situation. With only a 10X15' yard, it would end up a mucky mess even with just one or two ducks. (they poop A LOT).

Again, I'm in the suburbs but my duck run is 10X15 and they have access to the rest of the yard, about 60X25' unless I'm going to be home really late.

Yeah, I keep my pet duck pair in a chain link dog kennel that I pull around every day, but I have an acre or two of grass to pull it around in so it's awhile before they end up back in the same spot. They are messy, messy, messy. Especially when it rains (which is A LOT here in Western WA!).

Quote:

Gorgeous bantams, ChristineR

Thanks! They are a lot of fun.

 

[aaabirdman]

Thanks to all of your comments, I now think I would be better off in getting a couple of hens. Are there any other types of chicken breeds that are good as well? Barred rock/barred rock bantam? silkies? Rhode island red?

 

[ChristineR]

Bantam Faverolles are supposed to be really gentle chickens. I was going to get some until I found out eggs make my eczema worse. There's a Faverolles thread here on BYC. They are very friendly over there. I'm sure they'd help you find a breeder in your area.

Thanks to all of your comments, I now think I would be better off in getting a couple of hens. Are there any other types of chicken breeds that are good as well? Barred rock/barred rock bantam? silkies? Rhode island red?

 

[SallysCrazyFarm]

I had 2 mallard drakes in the past and they were pretty quiet. You'd have to clip their wings as they could fly. They weren't very large either. But they made one heck of a mess. I agree, a 10'x15' area would be mucked up in no time. They are very messy. I'd go with some hens for a smaller area.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

I live in a university town, just a couple blocks from a shopping center...and have raised Welsh Harlequin ducks in the backyard for over 5 years. I have 2 drakes and 5 duck hens. The males are virtually silent, and the females rarely cause a ruckus unless something is up - a which time the dog has usually alerted and drowns out the females. I have the smallest of kiddie swimming pool for them to splash around in (it's only like 3 feet or so in diameter), but they only get in it to breed, and then they jump right back out...the rest of the time they spend either catnapping or foraging for slugs/bugs. And they are incapable of flying, so the typical urban chain link fence easily keeps them in.
BTW, all 5 of the hens are laying every single day! Yeah!