What is best breed for backyard flock?

[The Burg Peeps]

We are hoping to get a few backyard ducks. Our options are Pekin, Rouen and Muscovy. In the area I live there isn't much available to be shipped or otherwise. I am wondering what people suggest as being the best breed for the backyard flock. We are wanting decent egg layers and foragers as well as some meat ducks. We also have 2 young children (2 and 4) so friendly is something that is important as well. Ideally I would love to get some Indian Runners, Black Swedish or Khaki Campbell, but they are not available to me.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[poultry09]

My personal favorite is the Indian runner, they are very active and fun to watch, They are small ducks but thier meat is very good if harvested at thier prime, and another favorite is welsh harlequin but you dont have them in your list so from your list my second choice would be swedish ducks (I like the blue better than black)

good luck on your search for the right breed!

 

[Amiga]

I would lean toward the Rouen.

As far as friendly goes, I feel that 90% of it is how you raise them and manage them. Well fed ducks raised by gentle humans seem to end up pretty friendly.

There is the occasional nasty drake, though, which is a hormonal, springtime problem. But those I would think, you'd be sending to freezer camp first.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Rouens!

I have a trio (1 male, 2 females) they are very friendly. They comenup to me, let me pet them. Hold them. Ect. Very sweet birds. And good roasters (if your into that sorta thing)

 

[The Burg Peeps]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think we will get some Rouens for sure and maybe some Pekins as well just because they are good egg layers. They all seem to have positives and negatives so it makes it a tough choice.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Forgot to mention. My rouen hen was my best layer last year. Laid 2 months before my ancona hen even started. Shes laying 1 egg a day. I love this little hen so much. The ancona isnt l ay ing yet. She started this year, but only laid for a week, and stopped. She only laid 3 eggs that week.

My best layers are my welsh harlequins. Out of my 3 5 month old hens, im getting 2 a day. Everyday. Hopfully my other hen starts soon!

 

[Oregon Blues]

First, there is no bad breed of duck, so you can't make a mistake.

My Pekin are my most sociable ducks. They are the best for meat and have turned out to be good layers as well. The white color is a problem if you want to free range and have local predators.

Rouens are good for meat. Other than that, I've never owned any of them, so no comment, except that the "Rouens" sold by hatcheries aren't really Rouens.

Muscovy are quiet and excellent for meat. It takes .longer to grow them to butcher size. I don't know how they do with eggs, except I think they are seasonal layers. They ave sharp claws, so children would have to learn to be careful when handling them.

 

[jak2002003]

If you have close neighbours and you don't have a pond I would recommend the Muscovy Ducks as they are very quiet, calm and don't need much water. They are also the best foragers in my opinion. They can find most of their own food in a larger well vegetated garden. They make great meat birds and go broody very easily, taking good care of the ducklings. They also have a lovely personality and funny behaviour. They will become very tame and allow you to pet them - wagging their tails like dogs!

All the other ducks you mention can be very noisy. They also do better with a larger area of water for swimming and diving. Pekin ducks are very very noisy at times with a deep loud quack.

Whatever breed you decide upon, please only get one drake, or none at all if you don't want chicks. The drakes can be very mean to the ducks and Muscovy Drakes can occasionally be nasty to people and other pets - but the Muscovy ducks are always gently.

 

[gunnarwordon]

3x for rouen..............