What is the fate of your ducks?

[LadyIsadora]

That is actually a surprisingly difficult question to answer.
My IDEA was to get just a few ducks to manage the snail & bug infestation in my yard. I love to garden and am against poison...until July when I want to tear my hair out and seriously resort to the "better living through chemicals" mind set.
I decided ducks would be a more holistic approach. I decided to order 3-5 for eggs & pest control. Really at that point in the process you could say they would be Useful pets. BUT THEN:
I went through this whole process, which I will spare you here, but found that it was expensive to get just a few. So I thought I would split a Metzer order with some friends. Now you should know I have very unreliable friends. I doubt they ever pay for them and am dubious as to their ability to care for them in a manner I deem proper. (snotty of me, right)
Well to make a long story short, I decided to get 4 each of 3 kinds of ducks, straight run, with the intention of culling the males and any problem children for meat, then keep the rest for eggs.
Then I went to IFA & got 2 practice ducks, with the intent of using them for meat while waiting on the others to arrive and grow up...but then......
My Metzer order is due in the morning. I will have a box of fluff, 12 or so. My practice ducks just turned 4 weeks. They want to spend all day playing on the pond. I have to shoo them off with the shoo stick. All of their fate is undetermined really, but an active forager would definitely buy itself some time as would its ability/ willingness to lay eggs
My Practice ducks (named "dim" and " sum) eat out of my hand so it will be hard to cull them, but I dont have room to overwinter so many ducks especially ones that dont forage and play all day sooooooo.
I have time to make the necessary decisions.
PS I also think duck is yummy.

EAGERLY awaiting box of fluff TOMORROW morning!

 

[Kathy farms]

     That is actually a surprisingly difficult question to answer.  
    My IDEA was to get just a few ducks to manage the snail & bug infestation in my yard.  I love to garden and am against poison...until July when I want to tear my hair out and seriously resort to the "better living through chemicals" mind set.  
     I decided ducks would be a more holistic approach.  I decided to order 3-5 for eggs & pest control.  Really at that point in the process you could say they would be Useful pets.  BUT THEN: 
     I went through this whole process, which I will spare you here, but found that it was expensive to get just a few.  So I thought I would split a Metzer order with some friends.  Now you should know I have very unreliable friends.  I doubt they ever pay for them and am dubious as to their ability to care for them in a manner I deem proper.  (snotty of me, right)
   Well to make a long story short, I decided to get 4 each of 3 kinds of ducks, straight run, with the intention of culling the males and any problem children for meat, then keep the rest for eggs.  
    Then I went to IFA & got 2 practice ducks, with the intent of using them for meat while waiting on the others to arrive and grow up...but then......  
     My Metzer order is due in the morning.  I will have a box of fluff, 12 or so.  My practice ducks just turned 4 weeks.  They want to spend all day playing on the pond.  I have to shoo them off with the shoo stick.  All of their fate is undetermined really, but an active forager would definitely buy itself some time as would  its ability/ willingness to lay eggs
    My Practice ducks (named "dim" and " sumeat out of my hand so it will be hard to cull them, but I dont have room to overwinter so many ducks especially ones that dont forage and play all day sooooooo.
          I have time to make the  necessary decisions.  
  PS I also think duck is yummy.

EAGERLY awaiting box of fluff TOMORROW morning!  

Good luck on your order. It's a bit difficult ordering from overseas. But I guess once they come in you'll be in a better position to decide what you wanna do to them. I'm waiting for the current generation to lay and raise their ducklings before I decide to perhaps use some for meat.

 

[LadyIsadora]

It would be difficult ordering overseas! I think I would double my order just so I would not have to order again too soon and to cover losses. Good luck to you too.

 

[Jen1979]

All our ducks and chickens are pets. We appreciate the eggs they give us, but when they stop laying, they'll live out their life with the same amount of love and comfort as they do now. After watching chickens and ducks interact in their flocks I actually can't eat either meat at all. It almost feels like eating dog or cat to me now. (This has led to hubbys refusal to allow me to get a pet pig - he said at that point I'll make him feel bad for eating bacon and he just can't have that! haha)

 

[Kathy farms]

It would be difficult ordering overseas! I think I would double my order just so I would not have to order again too soon and to cover losses. Good luck to you too.

All the best with your order!!!

 

[Kathy farms]

All our ducks and chickens are pets. We appreciate the eggs they give us, but when they stop laying, they'll live out their life with the same amount of love and comfort as they do now. After watching chickens and ducks interact in their flocks I actually can't eat either meat at all. It almost feels like eating dog or cat to me now. (This has led to hubbys refusal to allow me to get a pet pig - he said at that point I'll make him feel bad for eating bacon and he just can't have that! haha)

That is true especially when you hand-raise the animals. I'm hoping that the second generation would be raised by the mother ducks so I can consider if I will consume them or not.

 

[Skyfire]

All our ducks and chickens are pets. We appreciate the eggs they give us, but when they stop laying, they'll live out their life with the same amount of love and comfort as they do now. After watching chickens and ducks interact in their flocks I actually can't eat either meat at all. It almost feels like eating dog or cat to me now. (This has led to hubbys refusal to allow me to get a pet pig - he said at that point I'll make him feel bad for eating bacon and he just can't have that! haha)

I relate to this. I was vegan for 3 1/2 years, until November '14. After starting new long term medication, my weight dropped fairly rapidly. It interfered with my ability to absorb B12 (primarily in animal products), and nutrients in general. When my weight hit 83lbs (I'm normally 105 to 110lbs), I had to change something. On the advice of my doctor, I added probiotic rich dairy, eggs, and 2 to 3 weekly helpings of seafood high in B12. So far, this seems to be the right balance for my nutritional needs. Otherwise I'd still be vegan.


There is a place called Pigs Peace Sanctuary near Seattle that is a haven for abandoned pigs. I spent an entire day touring the farm. Pigs have big personalities, and love to socialize & play. I just don't have the heart to eat them, but my husband loves bacon and sausage. I cook this for him everyday, even when I was full on vegan. He still acts sheepish about it. He thinks it's upsetting to me though I have tried to assure him my personal food choices are my own. I hold no judgement towards anyone else, nor does other people's choice affect me. We all dance to the beat of our own drum.

 

[Celtagoats]

I guess I'm the odd one here. I'm using space at my moms property for my animals, so I raise a group each of ducks and cornish cross for meat, then start all over again. Once we get our own land, the plan is to keep a trio or so of both Rouens and pekins as pets, and raise the babies for meat. I want Ancona and runners pretty much as pets though

We do, however, have some goats that had been passed through many homes so we are letting them live out a happy retirement with us.

 

[Watermelon123]

Instead of pet ducks at the fair this year, They are doing market ducks! So much for going by the poultry section of the fair this year.

 

[emuhleey]

Any animal that settles on our farm does so with a retirement plan in place. If something should happen to us while they are still alive we have made arrangements with a local rescue group to take them in for the remainder of their lives.

Same with me. I only have 2 ducks. Started with 3, but a year ago a hawk killed my Gigi. I cried and mourned for weeks because she was basically a family member. I am also a vegetarian. I don't even do anything with the eggs, I just throw them out lol.
My duckies are like my children. I just want them to be happy and healthy.